Adetunji's brace help Abia Warriors beat ABS FC

Adetunji of Abia Warriors

A last 10 minute spirited display by Abia Warriors FC of Umuahia and Sunday Adetunji's brace was enough to beat Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC side 2-0 on match day 17 in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) encounter. 

The match decided at the Umuahia Township Stadium began with an end to end battle with the Saraki Boys having a fantastic first 45 minutes. 

ABS FC Coach Henry Makinwa, made four changes from the team that drew 1-1 with Gombe United on Wednesday in Ilorin with Chinedu Ajanah replacing Ibrahim Ahmed at right back while Ibrahim Omolayo replaced him at the central defense. 

Emmanuel Ugbo played in place of Arinze Oyota while out of form Mohammed Mohammed was replaced with Bassey Effiom in the starting eleven. 

Abia Warriors' Ahmed Yakubu had the most brilliant display in the midfield in the first half that ended goalless. 

The Saraki Boys returned from where they left it in the first half only to get punished for some individual errors. 

ABS FC defenders failed to follow the ball to go out of play but unrelenting Bashir Sherif followed up and curled the ball inside the Saraki Boys box to find an unmarked Sunday Adetunji who calmly selected his angle before he buried it for 1-0 in the 80th minute. 

Three minutes later, the centre referee pointed to the spot kick for a penalty after Chinedu Ajanah had gone shoulder to shoulder with an Abia Warriors winger. 

Adetunji again stepped forward and shot into the roof of the Saraki Boys post to make it 2-0 and put the game beyond the reach of the visitors. 

Speaking after the game, ABS FC Coach Henry Makinwa, said the better side won. 

"I was not disappointed about the game plans but this is not the kind of game we play. 

"The pitch was not conducive for us to express ourselves. 

"We like to play around with the ball but when you come to this kind of pitch, it was very difficult to adapt" Makinwa said. 

The stand-in captain, Chinedu Ajanah said after the game they are disappointed about the result. 

He was confidence that his team will bounce back from the recent poor run of form. 

The Saraki Boys will pit their wits with Rivers United on Wednesday at the Yakubu Gown Stadium, Port Harcourt for a rescheduled match day 9.