Wikki Tourists of Bauchi and Lobi Stars of Makurdi played out a 1-1 draw in Nigeria Professional Football League rescheduled game at the Pantimi Stadium in Gombe on Thursday.
Both sides settled quickly into the game with Lobi Stars asking questions from Wikki’s defense marshaled by Hassan Hussain, Ahmed Jimoh, Abdullahi Musa and Amiru Ahmed.
The visitors finally took the lead in the 14th minutes through Oluwadamilare Ojo who capitalizes on an error by Wikki’s Hassan Hussain near the edge of the box to fire the ball into the bottom corner.
The Pride of Rivers almost doubled their lead in the 27th minutes, but Wikki Goalkeeper Ibrahim Pius made a save from a powerful long-range effort by Lobi’s Samad Kadiri.
With half an hour gone, Wikki Tourists finally tested Lobi keeper Olufemi Kayode who dives to his right and punches away a powerful left-footed effort from Abba Umar, but Isa Gata fails to make the follow-up count.
Wikki Tourists finally have a breakthrough with four minutes into the half-time break, as Abba Umar heads in from close range for Wikki’s equalizer after poor defending by Dream Team VII defender Ebube Duru.
The second half saw less of clear cut chances, as both sides defended well and failed to create opportunities to take the lead with the real attempt coming in the 65th as Gata’s brilliant footwork sees him skip past John Lazarus before curling in a cross which Jimoh Ahmed couldn’t finish for Wikki.
In the 3rd minutes of additional 5 after the regulation time, Lobi keeper Olufemi Kayode prevented the home side from snatching a late win as he makes himself big to block Idris Bakare’s shot in a one-on-one situation.
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