The rescheduled match between Elkanemi Warriors FC of Maiduguri and Mighty Jets FC of Jos kicked off with a promising start, as the home team scored the first goal in the 17th minute.
Despite the host’s attempts to increase their lead, luck wasn’t on their side, and the first half ended in a 1-1 draw after Ajini M Ahmad equalized for Mighty Jets FC in the 33rd minute.
In the second half, both teams returned with high hopes. The visitors tried to slow down the game by taking their time for restarts and throws, aiming to frustrate the Warriors. However, their strategy almost backfired when Ajini received his second yellow card, resulting in a red card.
Despite being a player down, Mighty Jets resorted to defensive and counterattacking tactics to maintain the 1-1 scoreline.
Elkanemi Warriors’ substitutions added confusion to the visitors, and the pressure paid off when Risalanu Ismail scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute.
With this victory, Elkanemi Warriors moved to the top of Conference C with 21 points, followed closely by Wikki Tourists and Nasarawa United with 20 points each.
They are set to play another home match against Zamfara United on Sunday, March 17, 2024.
In a show of appreciation for the team’s performance, the Sports Commissioner, Hon Sainna Buba, rewarded the players with ₦300,000 and the technical crew with ₦200,000.
Although he had intended to celebrate with the players in a more elaborate manner, his busy schedule didn’t allow for it.
The Sports Commissioner’s gesture aims to motivate the Elkanemi Warriors players to continue striving for the team’s success.
