Kwara United’s Stephen Jude scored the season’s first hat-trick of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on MatchDay 17 in his team’s 5-0 win over Adamawa United FC of Yola on Sunday in Ilorin.
The Kwara United’s midfielder also assisted Michael Ohanu’s brace in the match played at Kwara Stadium Complex and dominated by the homers.
Kwara United’s coach Abdullahi Biffo made two changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Kano Pillars on Wednesday in Kaduna.
The duo of Issa Gata and Lucas Alves took the place of Kamal Sikiru and Samuel Chisom in the starting line up in the win over Adamawa United.
Kwara United were in front foot as early as the 6th minute when Michael Ohanu beat the offside trap and sent the ball past Adamawa United’s goalkeeper, Friday Achimugu.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (4th left) being assisted by Chairman Kwara United Football Club Kumbi Titiloye while unveiling new jerseys for the club, at the Main bowl of the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin, on Thursday.
Jude would have doubled the lead for Kwara United in the 17th minute when he missed a sitter from the 6 yard box after Ohanu’s backheel found him in the box from a goal mouth scrambling.
Brazilian Lucas Alves connected Taiwo Salaudeen’s perfect cross but he could not direct his header directly into the opposition’s net in the 29th minute to miss another chance for the homers.
Jude then scored his 5th of the season from a goal mouth scrambling in the 34th minute to double Kwara United’s advantage.
Six minutes later, Issa Gata jumped very high to connect Muritala Lawal’s cross but his header went inches away from goal and failed to make it 3-0 for Kwara United in the 40th minute.
The game restarted with Kwara United dominating proceedings with Nosir Afeez and Jide Fatokun punctuating every Adamawa United’s dangerous moves.
The duo of Jude and Ohanu were hard nuts to crack for Adamawa United defense as they tormented them each time Kwara United surged forward.
Jude scored Kwara United’s third goal of the match in the 60th minute, his second of the game when he guided into the root of the net Jide Fatokun’s short pass.
Jude would score again one minute later in what initially looked like his hat-trick of the game but this time the assistant referee’s flag went up for an offside and the goal was disallowed.
Adamawa United’s first goal scoring opportunity came in the 64th minute when Sadiq Lawan forced Kwara United’s goalkeeper, Dele Aiyenugba to a double save before his finally effort went out of play for a goal kick.
Jude released Ohanu, laying a short pass before him in the 71th minute and the striker had a perfect first touch before sending the ball to Achimugu’s far left as the goalkeeper watched the ball roll into his own net for Kwara United’s 4th goal of the match.
Seven minutes later, Adamawa United’s goalkeeper, Achimugu defended brilliantly to deny Ohanu when he was close to scoring a hat-trick after receiving a perfect pass from Muritala Lawal.
Jude missed another big opportunity to score again in the 79th minute as he directed a very clear cut chance wide.
Adamawa United’s midfielder, Jamilu Danjuma had the best chance of the game for the visitors in the 81th minute when his header hit the post and went out of play.
With three minutes into the the injury time, Jude completed his hat-trick, rounding off Adamawa United’s goalkeeper before sending a low shot into the visitors’ net.
