Kwara United were forced to settle for a disappointing 1-1 draw against visiting Abia Warriors in their EUROMATCH Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 9 encounter played on Saturday at the Rashidi Yekini Main Bowl of the George Innih Stadium, Ilorin.
The Harmony Boys came close to taking an early lead in the 27th minute, but efforts from Abdulsalam Abdulsalam and Thomas Omokhafe were denied by the crossbar.
Kwara United eventually broke the deadlock in the 34th minute through Ferinyaro Ali, who unleashed a powerful and well-placed free kick to put the hosts ahead.
However, Abia Warriors restored parity after Emmanuel Nnaji capitalised on a defensive error that exposed goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso, bringing the visitors back into the contest in the 52nd minute.
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Kwara United had a golden opportunity to reclaim the lead in the 64th minute when Stephen Gideon was brought down by the Abia Warriors goalkeeper inside the penalty area.
However, Muhammed Alao failed to convert the resulting spot kick, shooting his effort against the crossbar.
Both sides continued to search for a decisive goal, but their efforts proved unsuccessful as the encounter ended in a stalemate, leaving the hosts frustrated after missing the opportunity to secure maximum points at home. Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, was present in the stands for part of the second half to watch the encounter.
Despite the result, Ferinyaro Ali was named the Cyteck Man of the Match in recognition of his performance, which was highlighted by his spectacular free-kick goal.
Speaking after the match, Kwara United head coach, Ashifat Sulyman, expressed disappointment over the dropped points, particularly the missed penalty and other scoring opportunities.
He said the technical crew would work to address the team’s shortcomings, especially in front of goal, to improve their conversion rate in subsequent matches. The coach also apologised to the club’s fans.
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