Hosts Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia on Wednesday beat Rangers International FC of Enugu 2-1 to ease their relegation worries in the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that victory in the rescheduled Match Day 14 fixture played at the Lafia Township Stadium did not come easy for the home team.
Israel Abia put the home side in a bad situation after he scored with an excellent free kick at the edge of the Nasarawa United penalty box in the 4th minute.
The home side quickly regrouped to pile pressure on the away team and in the 6th minute were awarded a penalty kick for a foul on Chinedu Ohanachom.
Abubakar Lawal stepped up to convert the penalty kick to make it 1-1.
In the second half, Nasarawa United mounted series of attack to maintain pressure and continued to slice the Rangers team apart with creative passes and unique team work.
They went on to achieve the breakthrough they were looking for in the 52nd minute, through Abdullahi Abubakar who handled the ball after the Rangers goalkeeper parried it towards him.
NAN reports that all efforts to increase the lead proved abortive as the Rangers defensive structure remained resolute till the final whistle was blown.
Isaac Danladi, Chairman of Nasarawa United, expressed joy over the victory and the fact that the team had finally pulled out of the relegation zone.
But he added that more work still needed to be done to ensure the team does not fall back into the current season’s relegation zone again.
“There is still a lot of work to be done. Yes, we are temporarily out of the relegation zone, but by the special grace of God and in some few weeks time, we will be completely out of it,” Danladi said.
NAN reports that Nasarawa United are currently in the 13th position on the NPFL log and travel to Bauchi to face Wikki Tourists in their next fixture.
