MFM FC got back to winning ways on Match Day 2 of the 2018/2019 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season at the Agege Stadium Lagos on a day where substitutes made their impact felt for a number of teams.
Eleven goals were recorded on Wednesday with an away win, a draw, and three home wins from five matches played in the season’s first set of midweek fixtures.
MFM put their disappointing two nil loss away to Enyimba on match day 1 behind them to inflict a two nil defeat on Kwara United who
After a tepid laboured first half ended goalless, Segun Alebiosu put the ball in his own net to give MFM the lead three minutes into the second half.
Alebiosu has had something of a nightmarish start to the season and Wednesday’s own goal comes on the heel of a missed penalty in their one all draw at home to Sunshine Stars in their season opener.
MFM coach Fidelis Ilechukwu threw on Adeniji Kabiru in the 72nd in search of more goals and he was duly rewarded when the substitute scored three minutes after coming on to make the game safe for the Olukoya Boys.
Over at the Umuahia Township Stadium Go Round FC pulled off a shock 2 – 1 victory over Abia Warriors to record their first ever NPFL away win. Abia Warriors had never lost a league game on the opening day of the season but have now fallen to back to back home and away defeats in their opening two games.
Sadiq Ololade put Go Round ahead in the 37th minute with the team from Omoku holding on to the lead at halftime. The hosts, however, were back on level terms after Emeka Isaac scored from the spot following Akaba
With the game heading for a draw, substitute Emmanuel Ugwu scored a late winner in the second minute of added time to give the visitors a maiden away victory in the league in their second season in the league.
Heartland FC recorded the biggest win of the day running out three nil winners at the Okigwe Township Stadium over a Plateau United side beset with off-field problems. It ended goalless at halftime with the major talking point being Plateau’s Gabriel Wassa’s dismissal in first-half added time for two bookable
Plateau United head coach Abdu Maikaba made a defensive substitution to compensate sending on Daniel Itodo for winger Bernard Ovoke though the change did little to stop the home side from filling their boots.
Efe Yarhere who had come in for the injured Okon Otop in the first half opened the scoring for the hosts off a Chidiebere Ajoku’s cross on the hour mark.
Ajoku laid on another assist for Chinonso Okonkwo to double the lead in the 79th minute. Okonkwo who was making his home debut completed his brace from the spot in the 87th minute to hand Heartland their biggest win since a three-nil thrashing of Sunshine Stars in 2014.
At the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna, it ended all square between Niger Tornadoes and Rivers United who played out a one all draw with both goals scored within three minutes of each other.
Eric Frimpong came off the bench to give Tornadoes the lead in the 66th minute but Rivers United were back level within three minutes as Ossy Martins restored parity off a Wasiu Jimoh assist.
FC Ifeanyiubah’s fine start to the season continued after they left it late to beat Nasarawa United one nil at home. Abdullahi Abubakar thought he had given the visitors the lead in the 24th minute but his strike was called offside.
FC Ifeanyiubah captain Chijioke Alaekwe stole the points for his side two minutes into added time to send his team top of the NPFL Group B standings on four points.
El Kanemi Warriors round off Matchday 2 fixtures when they tackle Kano Pillars today in Maiduguri.
2018/2019 NPFL MATCH DAY 2 RESULTS
Group A.
MFM FC 2 – 0 Kwara United (Segun Alebiosu OG 48’, Adeniyi Kabiru 75’). Niger
Tornadoes 1 – 1 Rivers United (Eric Frimpong 66’; Ossy Martins 69’). Group B.
Abia Warriors 1 – 2 Go Round FC (Emeka Isaac 69’ (pen); Sadiq Ololade 37’; Emmanuel Ugwu 90+2’).
Heartland FC 3 – 0 Plateau United (Efe Yarhere 60’, Chinonso Okonkwo 79’, 87’ (pen)).
FC Ifeanyiubah 1 – 0 Nasarawa United (Chijioke Alaekwe 90+2).
