AKURE (Heartland Media) – Heartland FC produced another masterclass performance to earn their first away point of the season in the 1-1 draw secured at the Ondo Sports Complex, Akure, against Sunshine Stars on Saturday evening in a Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday Three tie.

Home boy, Michael Olalusi, put the Owena Whales in the driver’s seat in the 42nd minute from the spot kick after a handball in the vital area by Andrew Abalogu, while the Owerri side fought back gamely to get the equalizer through Patrick Nwogbaga with 15 minutes left in the game.

The Naze Millionaires played the game on the back of a 1-0 loss to Plateau United in Jos, and it would not have boded well if they had failed to get a positive result in their second consecutive away game.

The Owerri side went into the game with the mindset of winning their first game of the season, but they would be happy to walk away with a point, judging by the circumstances in which the game ended.

Heartland head coach, Christian Obi, stuck with most of the players who started the last two games against Lobi Stars and Plateau United, and just like in the previous games, the club struggled at the beginning but later adapted and became irrepressible.

It was the home side that served an early warning and could have been a few goals up inside the opening 20 minutes if they had taken their chances in the first quarter of the first half. Their failure to take the initiative meant allowing the visitors to work their way back into the game from the second quarter of that half until the end of the encounter.

The opening goal of the game came against the run of play. Sunshine Stars were able to sustain a brief momentum spell, and in one of those moments, they had players shooting directly towards Heartland FC’s goal posts. One of those shots, taken by Nwani Ikechukwu, mistakenly hit the outstretched hand of Andrew Abalogu, leading to a penalty kick decision. Michael Olalusi stepped forward to hit the ball to the bottom right, beyond the reach of Heartland FC goalkeeper, Chisom Chiaha, in the 42nd minute.

The setback, which came at a time when the visitors were breathing down the neck of their hosts, devastated the Owerri side, but it urged them on to go in search of the equalizer. The substitution of Tunde Oyewole and Onyekachi Okafor for Ezekiel Bassey and Francis Erikan early in the second half helped to further stabilize things.

Fired up by the goal they conceded in the dying minutes of the first half, the Obi-led side was very forceful in the second half and dominated the game but were unable to convert the numerous chances they had through set pieces close to the 18-yard line of the home team. The moment of truth came with the equalizer in the 75th minute through Nwogbaga, whose half-volley caught goalkeeper Mustapha Lawal napping. The goal came from Nnaemeka Christian’s free kick, which Lawal misjudged, allowing Nwogbaga to drill the ball into an empty net.

The Naze Millionaires still wanted to end the game impressively with the winning goal but they were caught out of position on one of their counterattacks. In the 85th minute, the hosts were awarded a second penalty kick after Elvis Ori was adjudged to have tripped Owena Whales’ Aniete Uko in the 18-yard box.

Ibrahim Yusuf’s spot kick hit the goal post, with Chiaha getting a hand on the ball and the Heartland defense on hand to clear the ball out of danger.

Despite playing more than 10 minutes after the penalty miss, Heartland FC held on for the draw until the center referee signaled the end of hostilities at Akure’s Ondo Sports Complex.

Heartland FC will return to Owerri to prepare for their next weekend’s home game against wounded Katsina United, who were held to a goalless draw by Lobi Stars at home.

The post Match Report: Nwogbaga strike earns the Naze Millionaires their first season’s away point in Akure appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

By: Quadri Labaika and Olatunji Oluwayomi

JOS (Made In Africa Sport) – In what was a high-octane clash at the New Jos Stadium, Benard Mundi’s acrobatic strike in the 11th minute was enough to earn the Peace boys their first three point of the season at home to Heartland FC.

The Peace Boys displayed a commanding presence on the field, taking control of the game from the outset and ultimately clinching a well-deserved win against the Naze Millionaires.

Plateau United seized the lead in the 11th minute when Bernard Mundi showcased his skill. Olawale Doyeni received the ball and delivered a pass to Barnabas Daniel, who, from a corner, directed the ball to Bernard Mundi.

Mundi’s shot found the Heartland wall and nestled into the bottom corner, leaving the opposing goalkeeper, Chisom Chiagha, with no chance.

How it happened

Plateau United started the game on the front foot and came close to getting off to a flier in the 5th minute when Barnabas Daniel got on the end of a long throw from Daniel Itodo in the box and get a shot that hit the upright.

The Peace Boys will eventually break the deadlock in the 11th minute when Barnabas Daniel’s well-drill cross was acrobatically slot home by Bernard Mundi to send the fans inside the stadium into rapture.

The visitor before the break came close to leveling up the score line in the 44th minute but Patrick Nwogbaga missed a sitter after Austin Osayande put the ball on the plate for the striker to tap home.

The second half saw Plateau United’s Samuel Kalu almost put the game to bed in the 72nd when his pile driver from almost 30 yard out agonizingly sail the Cross bar.

The victory which is coming off the back of the defeat away to Shooting Stars last weekend has shot the Peace Boys to 9th position on the league table.

Statistics

FULL-TIME

Plateau United 1-0 Heartland

Mundi Bernard's acrobatic marvel in the 11th minute lit up the Jos International Stadium.

The moment of brilliance proved to be the game-changer as the Naze Millionaires' cherished unbeaten streak came to an end.#NPFLWithMIAS #NPFL24 pic.twitter.com/i51gNW2L4L

— Made In Africa Sport (@madeinafricaweb) October 8, 2023

Reactions

Coach Mbwas Magut reacting after the game commend his boys performance and promise to work on the conversion of goal scoring opportunities.

“I will appreciate God and the boys,” Magut said. “They really fought and there is improvement from the Ibadan game.”

“We still have a lot of work to do and it’s a work in progress. We threw away a lot of chances. The league is fresh and I believe we will improve better.”

Heartland’s Christian Obi emphasized his team’s lack of speed and attention to his instructions.

He said, “This is the second game in the league. My team didn’t play well today. I gave the home team the pass marks, they did well, they were faster to the ball than my team.”

“Whenever my team loses the ball, they will collect and start playing. I asked my team to do that, but they didn’t do it. That was why the game ended the way it ended.”

“The home team showed determination and it went well for them.” He concluded.

The lone goal scorer who also doubled as Made In Africa Sport’s Player of The Match, Benard Mundi emphasized how Peace Boys are a work in progress.

“I appreciate God and my coach,” Mundi expressed his gratitude. “I just came back from injury last season, on coming back, he taught me a lot and it is obvious that in the runs and circulations of the ball, the team is trying to get it right.”

What’s next

The Peace Boys and Naze Millionaires will make a trip to Benin City to face Bendel Insurance at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and Akure to face Sunshine Stars at the Akure Township Stadium, respectively in matchday three.

Matchday two results

2023/2024 NPFL MATCHDAY TWO:

◉ 10 games
◉ 18 goals
◉ 0 away win
◉ 9 clean sheets#NPFLWithMIAS #NPFL24 pic.twitter.com/dEUa6ZqYJp

— Made In Africa Sport (@madeinafricaweb) October 8, 2023

The post Match Report: Mundi’s acrobatic strike sinks Naze Millionaires in Jos appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

The match, which witnessed a brief delay of approximately fifteen minutes due to delays in player and match officials’ entrance inspection, eventually commenced with the hosts, Heartland FC, initiating proceedings.

The initial stages of the game saw the hosts appearing somewhat lethargic, while the visitors displayed a readiness for the occasion. It took only 16 minutes for Lobi Stars’ midfielder, Adebayo Waheed, to seize the opportunity and break the deadlock with a low drive that eluded Heartland goalkeeper Chisom Chiaha, nestling into the near post.

In a sequence of mishaps, the home team conceded a second goal in the 38th minute when Francis Odinaka unleashed a powerful drive that left the net trembling, sending Lobi Stars into a frenzy of celebration.

Throughout the first half, the visitors dictated the tempo of the game, marching confidently into half-time with a comfortable two-goal lead.

The second half commenced with Lobi Stars aiming to sustain their momentum, as Waheed Adebayo came close to extending their lead.

Gradually, the hosts gained confidence and began to pose a threat to Lobi’s defense. The swift passes that had been absent for much of the match now flowed freely, earning applause from the home fans.

Capitalizing on their newfound dominance, the Naze Millionaires clawed back into contention with a crucial goal in the 73rd minute, courtesy of second-half substitute Patrick Nwogbaga.

This goal breathed new life into the game, and fifteen minutes later, the hosts completed their remarkable comeback. Another second-half substitute, Ezekiel Bassey, brought the score level at 2-2 in the 88th minute.

As the clock wound down, both teams fiercely battled for a potential winner, but in the end, they were forced to settle for a share of the points.

The Naze Millionaires can credit their comeback to the tactical substitutions made by their manager and will aim for a victory in their upcoming away fixture.

For the visitors, both players and fans will head back to Makurdi with a sense of disappointment, having failed to secure all three points despite leading the contest for a significant portion of the afternoon.

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