Premier League: Abia Warriors beat Nasarawa United 2-1

Kennedy Boboye of Abia Warriors FC

Abia Warriors FC on Sunday defeated visiting Nasarawa United FC at the Umuahia Township Stadium to escape relegation from the premier league.

The Umuahia-based club, which defeated the visitors by 2-1, played behind closed-doors.

The League Management Company (LMC) penalised the club with two home matches to be played behind closed-doors after the “unruly conduct” by fans during it’s -1-1 draw with FC Ifeanyi Ubah last Sunday in Umuahia.

With the victory against Nasarawa United, Abia Warriors now have 41 points, with two outstanding matches.

Coach Biffo Abdullahi expressed happiness with the outcome of the match, saying that “with this result, we are out of the relegation zone.

“We are so happy and elated to get the three points,” Abdullahi said, adding that they would not relent but would strive to do better in their remaining matches.

He said that the team missed their fans but were spurred to come out victorious because they were conscious that anything contrary would spell doom for the club.

Ogbonnaya Okemiri, who scored Abia Warriors first goal at the 23rd minute, also expressed joy that the club escaped relegation.

Okemiri said “everybody in the team worked harder, because we all know what was at stake.”

He attributed their victory to God’s mercy, saying that the own-goal, which came off a deflection from Nasarawa’s Abdul-basid Shitu at the 90th minute, came at a time everybody had lost hope.

“The goal came when everybody had lost hope so it was God’s mercy,” he said.

An Abia Warriors fan, Rowland Emezi, described LMC sanction against Abia Warriors as proper, saying it had taught the fans some lessons “not to misbehave during home matches.”

Douglas Achib scored the visitor’s lone goal at the 71st minute of the encounter.

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