Last season top scorer, Godwin Obaje scored twice as FC Ifeanyi Ubah beat Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC 3-0 on Wednesday in Nnewi in the men’s Quater Final first leg of the Aiteo Cup.
It was the visitors who showed more intent to carry the day as Martin Ossy missed chances after chances in the first six minutes of the game.
Wasiu Alalade who had another good game on Wednesday in the third minute beat the offside trap to find an unmarked Abubakar Chindo who crossed to Ossy whose shot was blocked by Ikenna Hillary.
Ossy again in the 6th minute, stole the ball with his head in the midfield, raced ahead of his markers before setting up a one on one with Bamba Drissa but his effort was inches away from goal.
One minute later, Akinbo Oluwasegun’s well taken free kick hit the side netting as the Saraki Boys dominated the first 20 minutes before they surrendered their domination to the hosts.
In the 25th minute, Obaje capitalized on Ebuka Franklin’s attempt to clear his line to go down inside the Saraki Boys’box to win a penalty for the Anambra Warriors.
The former Wikki Tourists of Bauchi attacker stepped forward and sent Yinka Adewale in goal for ABS to the wrong side for the first goal in the 27th minute.
Bamba Drissa denied ABS a goal scoring opportunity when he was in a right place at the right time to deny Alalade a goal from a close range.
Suleiman Mohammed doubled the lead for the hosts in the 40th minute when Adewale parried a shot but none of his defenders was close enough to help him clear his line.
Ibrahim Ahmed had done a back pass to the former U-17 international goalkeeper but the young goalie clearance was poor before Mohammed headed home the Ifeanyi Ubah second goal from a goal mouth scrambling.
ABS appealed for a penalty in the 64th minute when an Ifeanyi Ubah defender slipped to fall on Ossy who was ahead of him in the box but the referee instead award a goal kick.
In the 71th minute, Lukman Karatu, who replaced Akinbo Oluwasegun before half time, lost possession to Bright Onyedikachi whose cross found Obaje in the ABS box to head past Adewale for the third goal and completed his brace.
Four minutes later, King Osanga could have added the fourth of the game but his well taken powerful shot hit the bar leaving goalkeeper Adewale helpless.
Speaking after the game, Coach of ABS Ilorin FC, Henry Makinwa, said his boys lackadaisical attitude cost his team the goals but boasted he will turn around the result in Ilorin.
“We will be playing in a more familiar place and pitch on Saturday.
“We will have a couple of players back in the team who couldn’t play today.
“If they can score us three here today, we can score them more in Ilorin.
“We started the game brilliantly and very well but we didn’t end it in a good way” Makinwa said.
Also speaking after the game, ABS defender Ebuka Franklin, said he didn’t touch Obaje but the referee punished him for his poor attempt to clear his line.
“I admit I shouldn’t have went in for that tackle like that but Obaje capitalized on that and went down.
“I thought the referee was in a better position to see it but he didn’t, that’s one of those things in football.
“I strongly believe that we can turn things around in Ilorin in the 2nd leg” Franklin said.
The second leg of the Q/Final of the Aiteo Cup will come up on Saturday, Sept. 23 in Ilorin.
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