September 30, (THEWILL) – Abia Warriors started their Nigeria Premier League (NPL) campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Niger Tornadoes, at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Saturday.
The match was a tight affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances in the first half. The hosts had more possession and shots, but failed to break down the resilient defence of the visitors. The scoreline remained goalless at the interval.
The second half saw more of the same, as Abia Warriors continued to press for the opener, while Niger Tornadoes looked to hit them on the counter-attack. The deadlock was finally broken in the 80th minute, when John Peter scored the only goal of the game to give the hosts the lead their efforts deserve.
The goal sparked some life into the match, as Niger Tornadoes tried to find an equaliser in the dying minutes. However, Abia Warriors held on to their slender lead and secured all three points in their first match of the season.
The win lifted Abia Warriors to fourth position in the early NPL table, while Niger Tornadoes slide to 19th place. Both teams will look to improve their performances in their next matches to build some momentum in these early stages of the domestic competition.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
