A ten-men visiting Rivers United of Port Harcourt secured a 1-1 draw to dent title ambitions of hosts, Kwara United of Ilorin in a midweek MatchDay 23 fixture of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)
It was the hosts that forced a draw in the encounter that held at the Kwara Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
The match witnessed fewer goal scoring opportunities in the early part.
Kwara United’s Stephen Jude was close to putting the homers ahead in the 14th minute but could not finish a perfect team move with his effort going inches wide.
A Rivers United defender had cleared the ball from the goal line to deny the hosts the breakthrough in the 21st minute in one of the moments Kwara United increased pressure on the visitors.
Goalkeeper Okiemute Odah for Rivers United in the 23rd minute failed to deal with Issa Gata’s cross properly and allowed Segun Alebiosu a shooting chance when he spilled the ball. But the striker failed to capitalise on the error to score.
Rivers United’s first real goal scoring opportunity came with six minutes left before the break when Martins Usule shot at Kwara United’s goal.
Sunday Adetunji had broken away from his marker in the 40th minute in one of the defining moments for the visitors but his pass for an incoming teammate was intercepted by Christopher Nwaeze.
Rivers United restarted the game with a surprise when Joseph Onoja’s long range shot met Dele Aiyenugba in a wrong position to put the visitors ahead in the 47th minute.
Stephen Jude squeezed in an attempt from a tight angle in the 62nd minute but goalkeeper Odah dealt with it perfectly.
Kwara United’s captain, Christopher Nwaeze would draw his team level in the 74th minute shooting from a long range in the process, almost a replication of the away team’s goal.
In a last ditch effort to snatch a late win for Kwara United, Michael Ohanu’s shot forced Odah to one of the saves of the game in the 80th minute.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 82nd minute when Fabian Nworie was shown a straight red card after he was adjudged to have elbowed Nosir Afeez. But his expulsion had little impact on the away team as the Stanley Eguma tutored side, stuck to their game plans to earn the vital away point.
