ABS Football Club of Ilorin were on Wednesday at home forced to a 1-1 draw by visiting Mighty Jets FC of Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the draw was in a 2018/2019 Nigeria National League (NNL) match day 3 fixture played at the Kwara Stadium Complex in Ilorin.
The visitors showed more intent and determination to win as they dictated the pace in the early stages of the match.
It was the homers that got the first opportunity in the ninth minute, when Charles Eguavon released Alao Danbani but the striker’s late reaction meant he could not reach the ball.
Thereafter, right full back James Elemike beat his marker with a first touch and took a perfect shot at goal from the edge of the Mighty Jets box.
But the visitors’ goalkeeper Okuji Okam was up to the task of dealing with the shot.
Huzaifa Abdullahi had the match’s finest opportunity in the 37th minute when Zaidu Ayuba found him on the edge of the ABS FC box, but his shot rather hit the side of the net.
He was presented with another opportunity three minutes later, but Erasmus Aboh cleared his low cross inside ABS FC goal area.
ABS FC’s Shola Olorunmako replied in the 41st minute when he was presented an opportunity in front of the Mighty Jets’ penalty area, but Okam dealt with the situatíon with ease.
Timothy Akila put the visitors in the lead in the 59th minute from a counter attack.
He had combined with Zaidu Ayuba in the process.
Mighty Jets were reduced to 10 players in the 65th minute when Moli Al-kassem was sent off for a second bookable offence.
ABS FC were awarded a penalty kick in the 76th minute when Eguavon’s shot was adjudged to have hit a Mighty Jets defender’s hand in the goal area.
Danbani stepped forward and sent Okam to the wrong side to even the scores in the 77th minute.
All efforts by ABS FC to secure the maximum three points were abortive as Mighty Jets’ goalkeeper Okam was always needing medical attention for most part of the tail end of the match.
ABS will now face Aklosendi International of Lafia on Saturday in another home match.(NAN)
