Isaac Emeka 83rd minute strike from the penalty spot was all that Abia Warriors needed to edge Kada City 1-0 in one of 2019 NPFL match day 4 encounter decided this evening at the Umuahia township stadium.
It was Kada City who made the first two attempts on goal through Felix Benjamin and David Onovo in the fourth and sixth minute respectively.
The host responded almost immediately by forcing three consecutive corner kicks would have scored twice in the space of ten minutes through Olawoyin Ibrahim but Solomon Kantoma on both occasions made touch line blockades.
David Onovo found space and released a thunderous shot from 25 yards which came off the woodwork after Enaholo Joshua had managed a finger tip save.
Outstanding Sunday Okoh in goal for Kada City along side Solomon Kantoma, Umar Mohammed, Papa Idris and Ekene Obi stood big at the rear to ensure a goalless first half despite Abia warriors having a free kick at the edge of the box on two minutes of added time which was blasted wide by Fatai Abdullahi.
On resumption of the second half, the home side pressed and missed two free headers from close range, but it was David Onovo who missed a big chance in the 75th minute with only the goalkeeper at his mercy.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 83rd minute when Sunday Okoh was adjudged to have fouled an Abia Warriors player in the penalty box and Isaac Emeka made no mistake as he sent Sunday Okoh the wrong way to give Abia Warriors their first victory of the season.
” Our game plan was to pick a point at least and we were that close until that penalty call. I’m not the type who complains about officiating, but if the AR1 was well positioned, he would have flagged the player who was in an offside position before the center referee wrongly awarded that penalty.
“We will continue to work on our attack until we start giving the performance we wanted”, coach Adams Usman told the media.
Kada City will host FC Ifeanyi Uba in match day 5 this Sunday at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna by 4PM.