The Lafia City Stadium witnessed a gripping encounter on matchday 7 of the Nigeria Premier Football League, as Lobi Stars played a 2-2 draw against El Kanemi Warriors. The "Alia Boys" commenced the match with intent, showcasing their passing prowess and creating numerous scoring opportunities.
The early stages of the game saw Lobi Stars nearly break the deadlock, with Solomon Kwambeโs powerful header in the 6th minute flying just inches wide. Just two minutes later, Akile Monday's ambitious free-kick also narrowly missed the target.
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The breakthrough finally came in the 17th minute when Ossy Martins soared above the defenders to nod the ball past the Warriorsโ goalkeeper, giving Lobi Stars a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
The Pride of Benue continued to press for more goals, with Martins nearly doubling the tally in the 30th minute, dazzling defenders with a skillful turn before his powerful shot was superbly saved by the Warriors' Kolawale Oladipo.
A few minutes later, another opportunity arose, but Lobi Stars' hopes were again dashed by an excellent save from Oladipo, ensuring the first half ended 1-0.
The second half commenced with tactical adjustments from Lobi Starsโ Technical Adviser, Daniel Amokachi, who introduced Suur Kumaga and Ajibola Adeleke in place of Samuel Tiza and Ahmadu Liman. This decision paid dividends when, in the 54th minute, Martins found the net again, tapping in a well-placed assist from the swift Adeleke to make it 2-0.
However, the Warriors responded quickly, with Ibrahim Mustapha scoring in the 57th minute, injecting renewed life into the visitors. As Lobi Stars pressed to maintain their advantage, the match took a dramatic turn in the 86th minute when Mustapha appeared to handle the ball before scoring, a controversial moment that went unnoticed by the referee, bringing the score to 2-2.
In the dying moments of the game, the "Alia Boys" intensified more offensive efforts. A pivotal moment arose when substitute Alao Dabani was brought down in the box, but the referee dismissed claims for a penalty, ending the match in a stalemate.
As Lobi Stars reflect on this closely contested encounter, they now turn their focus to an upcoming fixture against newly promoted Ikorodu City in Lagos this weekend, eager to secure a good result.
