By Tola Badekale
A match in which the home side and their visitors acquitted themselves very well and in equal measure, had to be settled by a coolly taken spot kick by Christopher Nwaeze.
The referee had a considerably long, considered thought before deciding a push on a rampaging Kamaru Sikiru merited a penalty. After about two minutes of disputations by MFM players, Nwaeze sent Abayomi Folarin the wrong way for the only time the ball found the net in an absorbing game.
Both sides created chances. Dede Moghara freekick was saved by Folarin in the 20th minute before MFM responded through a superb short from the edge of the box by Adeyinka Nojeem two minutes later.
It was followed by Folarin needing to tip over an effort by Adah Stephen who was not favourite to shoot while lying down from a good tackle. In tit-for-tat fashion, MFM’s response was Izuchukwu Chimezie’s low short merely inches wide before a delightful pass by Adeniji Adewole cut open Kwara’s rearguard, but goalkeeper Ishola Abdulateef was quick off his line to block Izuchukwu from profiting.
Kwara United were never short of pushing for a goal though, and they piled up as many as many as nine corners in the first half alone. The best chance of the period fell to their winger, Isah Saidu who broke free down the flank but elected to shoot from a tight angle when a team mate was well placed and unmarked.
The second half was very much a mirror image of what preceded it. But it was Kwara that asked all the questions early on. A curly free kick by Aliyu Abdulrasak was met by an equally good effort by MFM keeper, Folarin before Alao Dambani headed over the bar from two fine crosses in as many minutes.
After conceding the penalty, MFM pushed men forward in search of the equaliser and they were much the better side for the last 13 minutes of the match. But most of their play lacked a telling final ball as Kwara United weathered whatever came near their goal for a precious win.
MATCH STATS
GOALS: Kwara United 2-0 MFM
SHORTS ON: 5-3
SHORTS OFF: 4- 3
CORNERS: 12- 5
FOULS: 12-12
OFFSIDES: 0-2
YELLOW: 1-1 (Isah Saidu, Adeniji Adewole)
RED: 0-0
