Heartland Return to Owerri and to Winning Ways

Julius Ubido put up a man of the Man-of-the-Match performance as
Heartland laboured to a slim 1-0 victory over Kwara United in a Match
Day 24 fixture of the Glo Premier league, Wednesday.

It was the first match in front of their home fans since Match Day 10
when the Naze millionaires became journey men, playing home games at
the Rojenny stadium and once in Port Harcourt.

The home team came out of the woods quite early and pressurized their
visitors high up in their own half, leaving the Afonja Warriors dazed
by their host's dominance in possession play, creating telling passes
that they failed to make count.

The visitors could only create a chance in the opening 25 minutes when
new recruit from Akwa Starlet, Essobe Chukwudi making his debut made a
good run into the homers box after beating two defenders neatly but
with a failing to cash in on a glorious opportunity at sight. He shot
wide.

Prior to that act, Ubido did run the show by sending lovely crosses
into the opposing box but as usual there was either no one in sight or
those reached failed to connect properly. He also took his trademark
free kicks in the edge of the box but nothing worked in their favour.

Brownbraye Okpus got injured and was replaced by Jimoh Oni on the 25th
minute and what looked like a forced change proved to be a perfect
change 12 minutes later.

Another Ubido's free kick on the edge of the box was almost in the net
when Kwara 's goalkeeper Kaseem Yekeen made a last ditch save to
redirect the ball unto the high right which fell to Oni. He was the
quickest to react and benefited from the rebound to fire past Yekeen
for the lone goal on the day.

The visitors tried as much as they could especially in the second half
when they took the game to the homers but Emmanuel Iwu in Heartland's
goal was rarely troubled.

The Naze millionaires played a very tactical game, keeping the
opponents at bay but popping up with chances from time to time though
they could not increase their tally, Emeka Ogbugh their biggest
culprit.

Ebere Odiche almost did in the closing moments as a long range cracker
from the edge of the box beat Yekeen but hit the post.

MATCH DETAILS

Team list

Heartland FC XI
Emmanuel Iwu 35, Brownbraye Okpus 14, Zoumana Doumbia 4, Julius Ubido
26, Wale Doyeni 2, Kingsley Ajaero 30, Chidiebere Ajoku 27, Emeka
Ogbugh 9, Fred Okwara 10, Arinze Nwangwu 15, Collins Nwaneri 12.

RESERVE: Uche Nwokeji 23, Kelechi Ekeh 31, Ebere Odiche 5, Uzoma
Nnaemeka 25, Jimoh Oni 32, Ekezie Chukwuwike 39, Emmanuel Mathew 38.

Coach: Bethel Orji

Kwara United XI
Kaseem Yekeen 12
Saka Habeeb 27
Halilu Obadaki 10
Dare Ojo 16
Jimoh Ismail 30
Ahmed Muhammed 31
Abubakar Salman 21
Gata Adeshina 11
Alebiosu Shegun 9
Emman Peter 14
Essobe Chukwudi 28

RESERVES: Shagari Ismail 33, Abubakar Yusuf 2, Gata Ismail 22, Abdulai
Ibrahim 15, Oladapo Femi 17, Akeem Onigbari 4, Eugene Ossy 35

Coach: Tunde Sanni Saliu

Source: NPFL.COM