The Search for a first victory of the ongoing 2021/2022 Nigeria National League season for Kogi United football Club of Lokoja will have to continue after posting a 5-Star performance against Nigeria Army Side, Green Beret Football Club of Zaria on Wednesday 9th March 2022 at the Dogarawa Township Stadium along Kano expressway in Zaria,a Performance that earned the Confluence state team a deserved point.

Coach Folabi Ojekunle made few changes to the squad that played out a 2-2 draw against DMD fc last weekend in Lokoja bringing in Salisu Ogbe to start in goal ahead of regular Mudasir Nurudeen.Femi Adewumi also started ahead of Omooloyi Opeyemi while Moses Opitoke was also favoured in the starting line up.

The Boys didn’t disappoint as they took the game to their host immediately the referee signalled the commencement of hostilities with Mohammed Mohammed and Umoru Omajagwu becoming tormentors-in-chief in the Green Beret defence.Omajagwu would have open score early enough but for some quick defensive intervention while he was trying to get balance before taking a shot,he was dispossessed and thereafter, Nothing serious took place.

The host who knew the importance of getting maximum points at home also surged deep into the Kogi United half but the combine defensive prowess of Moses Kayode and Atoe Emmanuel denied them entreaties towards Salisu Ogbe who himself was in another world with fine and fantastic saves consistently.

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The visitors got some appreciable percentage of chances to make the difference through frontman Mohammed Mohammed who got a delivery from Abdulwahab Jibril in the 22nd minute and would have scored but his shot was directed into corner by Odoh Kingsley.

Kogi United had Salisu Ogbe to thank for doing a fantastic job keeping the likes of Ali Jandi Sani ,Abdulganiyu Adamu and Timothy Bello at bay especially towards the end of the first half.Captain Eghe Osas also came close in the 40th minute from a freekick he got at the edge of the opponent’s box after he was pulled down violently.

The second half saw both side struggling to outwit one another with the host getting a larger chunk of possession with occasional incursion into United’s danger zone but Adewumi Femi and Salihu Abdullahi Alfa made sure Moses Kayode and Atoe Emmanuel are well fortified on the defensive flanks with Salisu Ogbe Complementing his defenders effort with fantastic saves.

Haruna Isah and Captain Eghe Osas both held the centre pack solidly with flurry of long passes upfront.
Abdulwahab Jibril would have put Kogi United ahead in the 82nd minute after he was tipped off with a good pass from behind and just needed to take a blast which he did but fails to send the ball the right direction. Mohammed Mohammed also got similar opportunity in quick succession and would have scored a screamer but his effort went few metres off the bar.

Kogi United would have been gifted a goal from Haruna Isah’s right foot in the extra added minutes from a Mohammed Mohammed ‘s pass but his shot also went above the bar.

POST MATCH REACTION

Techical Adviser of Kogi United said he is satisfied with the performance of the boys and commended them for fighting to the end

” A point away from home is not a bad one especially in a difficult and competitive league like the Nigeria National League. All we need to do now is to make sure that we keep pushing for victory in our subsequent Matches starting with this weekend’s home game against Jigawa golden stars “

” We will give our best against Jigawa to cart home all maximum points come Saturday. This draw here this evening is a booster and an energizer for my boys ahead of the weekend clash at home “

Kogi United will look to pick its first 3 points of the Season when it welcomes Northern side Jigawa Golden Star to the confluence stadium on Saturday 12th March 2022.

CAUTION 🟨

Eghe Osas (38)
Agee Nasiru (89)

UNUSED SUB

Mudasir Nurudeen,Omooloyi Opeyemi,Abdulsalam Abdulhameed

GODWIN WAMBEBE
MEDIA OFFICER
KOGI UNITED FC

9TH MARCH 2022

  Abdulwahab Jubril, Green Beret, Kaduna State, Kogi United, Mohammed Mohammed, NNL, Zaria