Akwa United finally registered a first win of the season on Sunday as they defeated Abia Warriors 2-1 in the Nigeria Professional Football League on Saturday.
Ndifreke Effiong was the match winner for the Promise Keepers as his brace condemned the Warriors to their third successive loss of the season.
Effiong opened the scoring in the sixth minute from close range as with the Warriors failing to clear Ikechukwu Nwani’s effort from the edge of the box.
The in-form attacker almost doubled the hosts’ advantage two minutes later but watched in frustration as his effort from 25 yards clattered against the crossbar.
The Warriors had battled back gamely and almost levelled matters barely a minute after conceding but the ‘Promise Keepers’ held firm with Jean Efala producing an important save.
Efala was called again to duty on 25 minutes and he didn’t disappoint, brilliantly keeping out Nzube Anaezemba’s acrobatic volley with the midfielder scraping his head and wondering how the effort did not hit the back of the net.
The Warriors were however not to be denied for long as Ibukun Harrison levelled matters with an astonishing free kick which left Efala embarrassed.
United got their noses in front in the 57th minute as Effiong completed his double from 12 yards after a penalty was awarded to the homeside with the Warriors goalkeeper, Vincent Edafe upeding Wisdom Fernando box.
Effiong almost completed his hattrick as he struck a fearsome effort against the crossbar – the second time he was being denied by the woodwork on the day – in the 69th minutes.
That missed opportunity would have come back to haunt the hosts in stoppage time as Fatai Abdullahi dramatically saw his close range effort come off the foot of the post with virtually the last kick of the game.
Abia Warriors head coach, Imama Amapakabo was not particularly crestfallen after the game insisting that the league is a marathon and that his side can still make up lost ground.
“We have just played three of the best funded teams in the country (Enyimba, Rivers United and Akwa United) in our first three games of the season and we were not disgraced,” Amapakabo said after the game. “We have lost three games but these sides will also lose three games too so we know we still have a lot of points to fight for in the remaining 35 games of the season.”
Boboye, the Akwa United head coach was relieved at full time and praised his charges for the win.
“It was a tough game and I praise my team for the win,” he told SPNAfricaNews. “Imama is like a brother to me and it was emotional to face him in this situation.
“We are professionals though and I am happy my side got the win which will now kick start our season.”
Akwa United have now amassed four points from a possible nine while the Warriors are now in big trouble as they are firmly rooted to the bottom of the standings with no points after their first three games of the season.
