Abia Warriors deployed superior technical skills to dislodge Rangers in NPFL match at Okigwe Township Stadium
Abia Warriors head coach Imama Amapakabo displayed a full mastery of personnel and tactical discharge of Rangers coach Abdu Maikaba in his side’s 2-0 win over the latter at the Okigwe Township Stadium on Sunday.
Both teams needed result from the game for different reasons; Warriors to stay afloat in another fight against the dreaded drop and Rangers, to keep themselves in pole position for the final continental spot.
With just seconds left in a cagey first half, Warriors went in front when club’s top scorer Valentine Odoh headed home Kabiru Muhammad’s free kick, his eleventh goal of the campaign.
Odoh then became provider three minutes after the restart when he spearheaded a counter attack on the right before finding Paul Samson who maintained composure before finding the bottom right.
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Rangers huffed and puffed after a raft of substitutions by Maikaba but Warriors had answers for every of their inquisitions on match day and could have even added a third but for the cross bar which denied Godwin Obaje late in the game.
Amapakabo, a former Rangers coach was pleased with how the game turned out for his team.
“It’s always nice when we play against a team that we know are going to be tactical so we knew it was going to be one of such and we planned for it,” began Amapakabo to www.npfl.ng after the game.
“I told my players that in games like these, chances are going to be few and far between so it depends on when they come, how well we are able to take those chances.
“We did a little bit of study of their team and we knew that they had problems in their wing back positions. They were playing a centre back from right back and a right back at left back so we knew they had problems there and we tried to exploit it,” he added.
Sunday’s win lifts Amapakabo’s side to 12th on the log with a crucial trip to champions-in-waiting Rivers United up next for them in Port Harcourt next match day.
Abia Warriors XI
1. Pius Ibrahim 33. Augustine Njoku 23. Kabiru Muhammad 17. Daniel Wotlai 13. Innocent Gabriel 24. Yeo Chacool 7. Paul Samson 11. Kalu Nweke 9. Valentine Odoh 21. Godwin Obaje 12. Yakubu Hammed
Subs
22. Vincent Edafe 2. Chigozie Umeh 3. Emmanuel Ozor 4. Michael Ibe 8. Imeh Atobasi 19. Peter Ambrose 26. Mustapha Jibreel 28. Lukman Bello 32. Odinaka Anaeto
Rangers XI
25. Nana Bonsu 15. Olawale Doyeni 17. Ifeanyi Nweke 6. Kenechukwu Agu 4. Uche John Akubueze
19. Ebuka Anthony 9. Christian Nnaji 8. Shedrack Asiegbu 23. Elijah Ani 39. Ebuka Okorie 24. Chidiebere Nwobodo
Subs
1. Bamidele Adeniyi 3. Tofic Omar 11. Chinonso Ezeikwe 14. Samuel Pam 18. Ossy Martins 20. Tope Olusesi 26. Israel Abia 29. Eso Obo Archibong 30. Philip Clement