Jamilu Steals Victory From Abia Warriors In 1-1 Draw With Adamawa Utd

Abia Warriors were denied maximum points on the road after a second-half goal by substitute, Danjuma Jamilu levelled scores in Gombe on MatchDay 16 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Obioma Chukwuemeka had scored for the visitors seven minutes after the restart.
Coach Zakka Bala of Adamawa United made four changes from the side that lost 1-0 at Enugu Rangers during the weekend, Surajo Lukman, Abba Haruna, Stanley Nnanna, and Sadiq Lawan started ahead of Etete Okon, Mbai Aminu, Ibekwe Emmanuel and Michael Burate, respectively.
Five changes to the starting eleven were made by Abia Warriors gaffer, Imama Amapakabo, from the side that thrashed former Champions, Kano Pillars, in Okigwe.
Njoku Augustine, Adeleke Adekunle, Omemmiri Anthony, Hammed Yakub and Mustapha Jibril were favoured ahead of Innocent Gabriel, Makson Ojobu, Samuel Christian, Paul Samson and Fatai Abdullahi.
The visitors were the first side to produce an attempt against at goal as early as the seventh minute of the encounter, when lively winger Mustapha Jibril made a fine run, dribbling past two markers before sending his individual effort just inches away from goal.
Adamawa United responded via their forward, Stanley Nnanna, after 13 minutes, but the striker failed to hit the back of the net, sending his effort just wide from goalkeeper, Ojo Olorunleke.
It was a to and fro affair in terms of producing attempts by the two opponents during the first half.
Abia’s Playmaker, Okemmiri Anthony, almost put the visitors ahead in the 25th minute, but his strike was brilliantly halted by Achimugu Friday, who dived to his right to produce the save.
The promising performances from both goalkeepers ,Achimugu Friday and Ojo Olorunleke, forced the game to end in stalemate ahead of the restart, with Oluronleke denying Sale Muhammed’s goal-bound shot inside the box.
On the opposite side, Achimugu brilliantly halted Obioma Chukwuekema’s point-blank header moments before the end of the first half.
But Achimugu could not stop the forward in the second half as he volleyed home easily from a Mustapha Jibril’s assist.
It was his 4th goal of the season so far. Coach Zakka Bello’s substitution in the 63rd minute paid off as the substitute, Danjuma Jamilu, guided a long-range delivery from Emmanuel Ogbuagu inside the box before finishing past onrushing Ojo Olorunleke for the equaliser, just four minutes after replacing Muhammed Jiya.
Abia Warriors came close to snatching the maximum points just one minute to the end of the three additional minutes when substitute Archibong Arit reacted first with a thunderous effort from a rebound on the edge of the box.
It was to the joy of Adamawa United’s bench that Achimugu did the needful to ensure a share of spoils ahead of their MatchDay 17 away to Kwara United in Ilorin.
Abia Warriors will welcome Katsina United in Okigwe in the same fixtures on Sunday 21st March 2021.