Abia Warriors beat MFM 3-1 to go 2nd

Abia Warriors football club of Umuahia have jumped to the second position on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) table after a comprehensive 3-1 victory over visiting Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM) football club of Lagos at the Umuahia Township Stadium today.

Fans were still making their way into the arena when Uche Ihuarulam, in for injured Chisom Chikatara, raised the curtains with a well-taken goal in the 3rd minute.

Former Nigeria U-17 star, Stanley Okoro came off the bench to net the Warriors' second goal in the 65th minute while national U-23 player, Ndifreke Effiong made it 3-0 after converting a penalty awarded his side by the centre referee after Ihuarulam was brutally hacked down by an overzealous MFM defender inside the 16-metre box in the 74th minute.

MFM, however, pulled one back in the 89th minute in a controversial circumstances when centre referee, Peter Shinyi allowed substitute Kenedinum Nelson's goal to stand as he had converted without the referee's permission.

The Abuja-based referee had brought out his yellow card for Warrior's Emmanuel Olowo and as he was about issuing it, MFM quick-started the game and Nelson scored.

Abia Warriors players and bench protested the goal to no avail leading to the expulsion of Olowo in the process but the atmosphere remained calm despite the obvious provocation.