Football
Rivers United fired blanks
against a spirited Lobi Stars side on Sunday in Port Harcourt in a largely
uninspiring 0-0 draw as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) entered
match day five.
The highlight of a poor
first half lacking in genuine quality was recorded in the 27th minute when the
Lobi Stars goalkeeper, Okiemute Odah performed a brilliant double save to deny
Bernard Ovoke from point blank range.
Two minutes Ovoke was
denied, Odah against prevented the hosts from sneaking ahead when he kept out
Emeka Ogbugh’s tame header with a simple save.
Lobi’s best effort of the
half arrived in the 14th minute but Festus Austine defended well to deny
Kingsley Eduwo during a frantic goal mouth melee.
Clear cut chances were at
a premium in the second half as defences dominated.
The Rivers United
technical manager, Stanley Eguma didn’t exactly cut a happy figure after the
game as he voiced his sentiments on the result to assembled media at the
post-match press conference.
“We changed our tactics at
the break when we realized how Lobi set up shop in the first half.
“They were extremely
defensive but coped well in the first half.
“I changed things in the
second half and even though we created chances, we failed to score but that is
football for you,” he said.
Lobi Stars head coach,
Godwin Uwua was also at the press conference and he stated that the draw
claimed in Port Harcourt felt like a win.
“This draw (against Rivers
United) feels like a win though you guys (journalists) see it as a draw.
“You cannot compare Rivers
United and MFM FC (a side Lobi lost 0-4 to in their last away game) in terms of
coaching and (personnel).
“Having conceded four
goals against MFM, I knew that if I wasn’t careful, my team could concede as
much as 12 (goals) in Port Harcourt against Rivers United.
“I had to work harder
because I knew I was facing a better team,” he said.
Rivers United slipped from
second to fifth with nine points from five matches as a result of the draw
while Lobi Stars now occupies tenth spot on the NPFL log with seven points from
their opening five fixtures.
Match
statistics
Rivers United: Femi
Thomas, Ojobo Markson, Wassa Gabriel, Aliassou Sanou (Yusuf Jaiyeola 60’),
Olalekan Gabriel, Festus Austine, Ovoke Bernard (Bolaji Sakin (66’), Lukman
Mohammed (Kuemian Guy 65’), Esosa Igbinoba, Nzube Anaezemba and Emeka Ogbugh.
Substitutes not used:
Sunday Rotimi, Ayobami Asekunowo, Zoumana Doumbia and Weli Christian.
Lobi Stars: Okiemute Odah,
Kwambe Solomon, Bunde Moses, Joseph Nathaniel, Agbaji Anthony, David Tyavkase
(Itodo Cletus 90’), Alimi Sunday, Eduwo Kingsley (Barnabas Daniel 53’), Nwangwa
Nyima, Dennis Nya and Chinedu U. James.
Substitutes not used: John
Lawrence, Luter Iyorhe, Rufus Omotayo, Gwaza Iorliam and Sunday Emmanuel.
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