Enugu Rangers yesterday at the Kwara State Stadium Complex secure a difficult 2-1 victory against host Kwara United in a rescheduled Matchday 6 encounter played in Ilorin.
Before the game, the visitors were on an 8 games unbeaten in the Nigeria Professional Football League and continue the run by inflating the first home defeat in the league for coach, Bala Abubakar.
Kwara United started the game on a brighter note after Hashim Shamsudeen fired wide from the right edge of the box following a lay-off by Ebenezer Odeyemi.
Gbenga Ogunbote’s side opened the scoring with the first corner and first attempt on goal after the host fail to clear the corner from the right side which Ifeanyi George headed past Oremade Olawale after 25 minutes of action.
The visitors doubled their lead three minutes after getting the first when defender, Sunday Akinmoladun miscommunicated with goalkeeper, Oremade Olawale which Godwin Aguda took advantage of to put the ball in the top half corner of the post.
Alamoyo should have reduce the deficit for the host in the opening half of the encounter when he misses a glorious chance when Binuyo found him inside the box after a good team movement but the striker fired wide off the post.
The Enugu-based side held on to their two-goal advantage in the opening 45 minutes leaving the host with a huge task to overturn it in the second 45 minutes.
However, knowing the importance of getting a point in the game, Kwara United coach, Abubakar Bala reacted with two substitutions with Peter Momoh and Tijani Adamu replacing Ernest Chidiebere and Alamoyo Abdul Razak respectively in the beginning of the second half.
Kwara United controlled the game with the introduction of duo but couldn’t find a way to penetrate the solid defense line of the visitors.
The Harmony Boys reduces the deficit when Ebenezer Odeyemi took advantage of a poor defensive display from Rangers defense line failed to clear a pull-out from Kwara United goalkeeper, Oremade and head the ball pass Nani Bonsu.
Rangers introduce Uche Uchebo who represented Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup to add more energy to the attacking line.
United had a late appeal for penalty in the closing stage of the encounter overturned when the ball hit the hand of Rangers defender while attempting to clear the ball from the 18-yard box.
