Lokosa scores eighth goal of the season

.As Obiozor’s error gifts Enyimba draw in Kano

By Taofeek Babalola

Kano Pillars rave of the moment Junior Lokosa continue his outstanding form in the matchday nine by scoring his eighth goal of the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday night as Enyimba held Kano Pillars to a 1-1 draw at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, Sportinglens.blogspot.com reports.

The goal means the former First Bank of Lagos striker had netted eight goals in the nine NPFL matches.

The match which was tagged the star game of Matchday 9 lived up to its billing as the two sides entertained the mammoth crowd.

Both teams came into the encounter in fine form, unbeaten in five games and in the upper reaches of the table. Form aside, this was also a meeting of tw

o of the biggest sides in the league, and a mammoth crowd at the Sani Abacha Stadium bore testament to this.

Enyimba’s coach Paul Aigbogun made two changes to the side that won at home against Plateau United. Dare Ojo started at left-back, and there was also a place from the start for Austin Oladapo, his first league start for Enyimba since joining in the off-season.

Kano Pillars coach Ibrahim Musa also featured club’s legend Rabiu Ali, who made his season’s league debut, in the much anticipated encounter.

Ali, who was part of the Super Eagles B squad to the just concluded African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco, passed a late fitness test to start the game.

The opening period was expectedly cagey, and the tone of the game, especially in the first half, was frenetic. There were brief moments on quality, notably from former Enyimba midfielder Nzube Anaezemba.

After Ali had blasted a presentable chance over the top, the hosts took

the lead just after the half-hour mark. A quick free kick found Lokosa on the far side, and he steadied himself before firing home low into the bottom corner.

The hosts could have gone two up a minute later when Alhassan fired over the top from an identical position. Instead, they were pegged back three minutes after their opener. There looked to be no danger as Emmanuel Anyanwu played a pass back to his goalkeeper David Obiozor. Inexplicably though, the goalkeeper let the pass slip through his legs and all the way through for an equaliser.

Having been gifted a route back into the game, Enyimba clung on and refused to let go. Goalkeeper Fatau Dauda led the resistance, twice denying Anaezemba in the second period, and claiming cross after cross. When he was beaten, however, Victor Denis saw his mishit cross come back off the crossbar.

Enyimba then came close to snatching the win late on, after a sizzling pass from Chinedu Udeagha found Stanley Dimgba in space. However, the winger opted to shoot directly at goal rather than pass, dragging his shot and failing to trouble Obiozor.

The result extends Enyimba's run of games without defeat to six and maintain its fifth position on the log while Kano Pillars also retained their third position.