Rivers United made a return to winning ways following back to back defeats as they overpowered visiting Niger Tornadoes 1-0 at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium Port Harcourt on Sunday evening.
Bernard Ovoke was the difference yet again when he put Rivers United ahead in the 22nd minute. Although the visitors got a lifeline, an opportunity to restore parity from the spot ten minutes before halftime, Gabriel Wassa fired the spot kick wide of Rotimi Sunday's goal.
Beaming with confidence from their 2-0 conquest of Warri Wolves last weekend, the visitors fielded the same 11 with Lukman Mohammed and Abawula Anthony leading the line. For the hosts, there was more emphatic changes in their starting 11. Ovoke had been suspended indefinitely by the club for indiscipline was granted a pardon and recalled into the team. Frederick Obomate was the other change, with Onyekachi Okafor dropping to the bench.
The visitors settled faster keeping the Rivers United backline on their toes. After a few forays and a few corner-kicks which the hosts dealt with, they began making a few attempts of their own. Ovoke had a chance in the 13th minute but his curled strike was too wide of Mustapha Salihu Aliko's post. It was a warning but the visitors would not heed. Nine minutes later, he broke the deadlock.
From a quickly taken short corner-kick, the winger was allowed way too much space to take aim. His beauty of a curler hit bottom corner. It was his 8th goal in all competitions for the team in blue. But the unrelenting visitors nearly pulled level shortly afterwards. Gabriel Olalekan wrestled down Lukman Mohammed in the area leaving the referee the easiest of penalty calls.
Up stepped Wassa Gabriel who opted to send the spot kick to Rotimi's left. But he skewed his effort too wide. Had he got it on target, it probably might not have have beaten Rotimi who made the right guess and had that end well covered.
The second half had few chances but most notable was Ovoke's 54th minute effort which Aliko was quickly off his line to bravely block. With just one goal separating the two sides, Tornadoes gave Rivers United a late scare when Lukman Mohammed had a sniff at goal in the 80th minute but his turn and strike ballooned over the target.
The Port Harcourt side maintain their third position on the log and are two points off leaders Wikki Tourists.
Match details
Rivers United: 22. Sunday Rotimi, 13. Ojobo Markson, 32. Idris Aloma, 21. Yusuf Jaiyeola, 12. Gabriel Olalekan, 19. Festus Austine, 20. Obomate Frederick, 9. Kuemian Guy Venance, 14. Chinonso Okonkwo, 27. Weli Christian, 7. Ovoke Bernard
Subs: 23. Abiodun Akande, 6. Ayobami Asekunuwo, 11. Aremu Afeez, 16. Daniel Israel, 28. Obinze Godwin, 30. Onyekachi Okafor, 33. Ofem Inah
Niger Tornadoes: 30. Mustapha Salihu Aliko, 8. Bolaji Adeyemo, 17. Wassa Gabriel, 32. Mustapha Musa, 5. Chinedu Nwanze, 6. Abiodun Adebayo, 26. Ifeanyi Okoye, 29. Solomon Owello, 15. Lukman Mohammed, 33. Abawula Anthony, 35. Kunle Issa
Subs: 1. Nobas Omoregie, 2. Samuel Tswanya, 20. Jackson Daniel, 39. Bashir Usman, 22. Wilfred Ameh Angel, 28. Omolayo Ibrahim, 4. Inamoto Godwin
Stats
Attempts 6-4
Shots on Target 3-1
Fouls Committed: 12-12
Corner kicks 9-5
Offsides 5-1
Yellow 1-2
Red 0-0
Attempts 6-4
Shots on Target 3-1
Fouls Committed: 12-12
Corner kicks 9-5
Offsides 5-1
Yellow 1-2
Red 0-0
By Sam Nnaji
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