By Amaechi Agbo
In a President Federation’s Cup round of sixteen clash that twisted from control to chaos, and back again, Nasarawa United are through to the last eight after a a scary 5-3 penalty shootout win that followed a stunning late collapse against fellow Premier League rivals, Rivers United at the Awka City Stadium, Anambra State, on Saturday evening.
For 85 minutes, the Solid Miners were on the driver’s seat on a 2-0 cushion, with a goal in each half, courtesy of Ugochukwu Leonard in the 44th minute, and substitute, Ada Umar, in the 68th minute, with Abubakar Abdullahi credited for both assists, against “The Pride of Rivers” that finished 2nd position in the just-concluded Nigeria Premier Football League Campaign.
The Lafia-based Nasarawa United looked comfortable with the scoreline and a place in the Quarter-Finals seemed a matter of minutes away.
However, the script of the Challenge Cup, now renamed President Federation’s Cup, played out again, as the resilient former league champions refused to bow out.
With regulation time ticking away, they struck at the 86th minute through Samson Obi, to halve the deficit to 2-1.
Before Nasarawa United could reset, a second dagger landed deep into added time via Handsome Surveyor to bring score to 2-2.
A two-goal lead, built over 80 minutes, vanished in six minutes to stoppage and additional times, bringing the game to a suffocating, tension-soaked penalty shootouts.
Nasarawa United’s five spot kick takers, Abubakar Abdullahi, Adekunle Oluwasegun, Sam Pam, Hassan Moyi, and John Victor scored their kicks with utmost composure, while Zachariah Timothy, lost his kick for Rivers, as the Pride of Rivers scored only three out of five spot kicks, advancing Nasarawa United to the last eight stage on a 5-3 penalty win, and ultimately setting up a rematch against fellow North Central fierce opponents, Plateau United.
The Solid Miners eventually dedicated the victory over Rivers United to late Amina Hassan, the biological mother of the team’s defensive midfielder, Moyi Hassan, who died a couple of hours in Lafia before the game’s kick-off, praying God to repose her soul in eternity.
A relieved Coach Mangut Mbwas, told Nasarawa United Club’s Media shortly after the game that, “This win books our place in the Quarter-Finals of the competition. We were battered, tested, but unbroken.
“Letting a 2-0 lead slip off your grasp in such a dying moment is the most dangerous scoreline in football. A lot of teams won’t survive that, but I thank God and praise my wards for the character shown from the spot. That’s honestly what you need to go deep in this competition that doesn’t offer you a second chance to make amends.”
