Second from bottom, Dakkada brightened their chances of staying in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) next season after a hard fought 2-1 win at home to Abia Warriors in a rescheduled MatchDay 28 fixture played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Wednesday.
Without suspended coach, Umar Danlami, the home side struck in the 11th minute through Aniekan Ekpe’s penalty. Umeh Chigozie had earlier upended Friday Bright inside the penalty area.
Five minutes later, the visitors levelled terms in a similar fashion. In attempt to deny Godwin Obaje a clear sight on goal following a corner, Emmanuel Ogbuagu fouled the former Plateau United forward. Obaje brilliantly sent Loveday Anugbuo the wrong way.
The home side inched closer to restoring the advantage on 35 minutes, but Aniekan Ekpe’s deflected freekick 20 metres out struck the woodwork.
Both sides returned for the second half determined to better their first half performance. Abia Warriors goalkeeper Pius Ibrahim almost gave the home side an opportunity to restore their advantage on 55 minutes, but substitute, Adewale Lasisi could only manage to hit above an empty post, 35 metres out.
Abia Warriors were at their best elements midway through the second half. But they had Umeh Chigozie sent off in the 70th minute for a second bookable offence. Chigozie’s ousting pegged Imama Amakapabo’s side back defending for the closing moments of the game.
A sublime team move on 89 minutes was the final piece of jigsaw, as Dakkada coasted home with the maximum points. Edidiong Ezekiel had guided home Adewale Lasisi’s low cross past the goalkeeper, to earn Dakkada what could be a key result in their quest to beat the drop by the end of the season.
The Uyo based side are now two points behind 16th placed Kano Pillars. Both sides will clash in a rescheduled fixture next Wednesday.
Dakkada’s stand-in-coach Daniel Japhet said he is confident the result would boost his side’s chances of staying in the top flight next season, while Amakapabo expressed disappointment at the result, pledging to draw lessons from the fixture to make improvements in the remaining games.
