Nasarawa United Brightens NNL Play-off Chances With Away Vuctory Against Mighty Jets

By Amaechi Agbo

Nasarawa United’s elite domestic football league’s ambition received a mega boost on Saturday afternoon following their 2-1 away victory at Mighty Jets International in Jos, Plateau State, on match-day fourteen of the ongoing 2023/24 Nigeria National League campaign.
The Solid Miners went into the game on the heels of a 2-1 home win over table-toppers, El-Kanemi Warriors FC, a week ago, while Mighty Jets were hoping to return to winning ways after pulling a point on the road at NAF FC in Abuja last weekend.
Benefitting from an assist from Peter Eneji, new acquisition, Terdoo Shimaga, powered home a thunderous strike to give United a 41st minute lead from outside the box against the run of play at the New Jos Stadium, his first goal in the colours of his new-found club.
Jets threw everything upward with a view to finding an equalizer but with the United’s backline proving impenetrable.
Youngster, Emmanuel Ukeyima also missed a glaring chance for the home side.
The Solid Miners held on to the slim lead heading into the break.
Jets were awarded a penalty after the referee adjudged a foul on Ogonyi Matthew who would later convert the resultant kick in the 74th minute.
The leveller lasted for only three minutes as playmaker, Peter Eneji’s masterclass curler left the home side’s goalkeeper neutralized as he placed a pass from Chinonso Okonkwo beyond contemplation, to return the visitors back in the lead.
United jealously guarded the scoreline till regulation time to seal the triumph, their second win of the season away from home.
With the result, the Solid Miners return to second position on the Conference C table having garnered 29 points from 14 games, two points below leaders, El-Kanemi Warriors FC who beat Wikki Tourists FC 2-0 in Maiduguri same day with a game more, and three points clear of the Bauchi-based ‘Big Elephants’.
The Coach Usman Adams-tutored Nasarawa United have the chance of topping the Conference C table should they win their remaining games as El-Kanemi Warriors only have one game remaining in the conference against Yobe Desert Stars in Gashua while Wikki and United have two games each.
United will welcome Abuja-based EFCC FC on Saturday, 20th April, at the Lafia City Stadium, while Mighty Jets will be on the road for a date with Wikki Tourists in Bauchi, a day later.
Only the two top teams will qualify from each of the four Conferences to battle for four slots in the Super Eight to gain promotion to the Nigeria Football League, next season.