It rained goals at the Emerald Garden Stadium in Abuja on Friday when the anti-graft organization, Network Against Corruption and Trafficking played host to Adonis & Abbey, a London and Abuja based publisher of Professional books and academic journals in a friendly match that ended 8-4 in favor of the host.
Staff of NACAT put up a sterling performance to outclass their opponent in the electrifying stadium that had fans of both teams cheering their players on the sidelines.
NACAT’s Ali Benjamin who was the Player of the Match, opened the scoring in the first minute of the game following a solo run, just seconds after the match started.
However, it was not until the 20th minute that the stadium was aroused again in applause of a goal, as AA’s winger, Gideon Timdul Chalnap, who was his team’s most outstanding player, scored a sensational goal to level the tie.
Both sides continued to share possessions as they were hungry for goals, with several goal attempts that were thwarted by goal keepers of both sides.
Benjamin restored NACAT’s lead when he brilliantly converted from the sides but moments later, AA’s central defender, Chikamso Okoye scored his only goal of the match to restore parity between both teams.
Minutes into the second half, NACAT fell behind for the first time in the game when AA’s forward, Isaac Onyekachi scored to put his team in front. However, AA’s jubilation didn’t last a minute as Benjamin’s trigger from the centre of the field found the back of the net to restore parity.
NACAT took total dominance of the game when the team’s creative midfielder, Abdulmalik Umar put his side in front through a brilliant strike that took the tally to 4-3 in favor of the host.
With the game heading towards the end, NACAT continued its dominance with quest for more goals. They were rewarded minutes later when AA committed a foul that the central referee adjudged a penalty. NACAT’s captain, Stanley Ugagbe, extended his team’s lead when he converted the penalty kick brilliantly by sending the keeper the wrong way.
Determined to earn a point, AA were not deterred by the two-goal deficit as they were all out looking for goals. Their efforts paid off moments later when their star player, Gideon pulled a goal back to keep the tie at 5-4.
However, one more goal from Stanley and two more from Benjamin put the game beyond the reach of AA to earn NACAT an 8-4 win against their opponents.
Excellent goal-keeping from NACAT’s Onoja Johnson and some super saves from AA’s Casey Fehintoluwa Israel were the reasons the game did not have more goals.
AA’s Gabriel Ujah, who has been one of the team’s backbones in previous matches didn’t fall short of expectations as his ball recovery records were excellent. Substitute, Jamiu Othman and Captain Emmanuel Akaolisa made some highlights through some uncommon football skills.
More so, NACAT’s Jacob Oseno and Paul Utebo were solid in the defense line. Substitute James Onyema made a point when he temporarily came on as some female supporters on the sideline chanted ‘James my love’.
