Match Report: Adamawa United 1-2 Enyimba

Anayo Iwuala once again made a big impact as he opened the scoring to set Enyimba off to a 2-1 win against Adamawa United in Monday’s Nigeria Professional Football League fixture at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa stadium.

The winger repeated his feat against Kano Pillars on the previous matchday – netting the opener – as the People’s Elephant secured their first points on the road this term.

Anayo could have lit up the fixture in the fourth minute when he headed wide from close range after a fine work and cross from Tosin Omoyele in the flank, but quickly atoned for his miss moments later, capitalising on a defensive error to fire the visitors in front.

Adamawa subsequently enjoyed a good spell and it took John Noble’s quick recovery to prevent Adam Yakubu from drawing level six minutes later.

The visitors, nonetheless, threatened on the break and it was from one of such that Ojo found Imo Obot with a low cross, the left back tapping in at the far post for his first Enyimba goal.
Obot nearly turned to provider moments later but his low cross towards the path of Omoyele was intercepted by the goalkeeper.

With halftime looming, Adamawa thought they had a chance to pull one back when the referee pointed to the spot after Manyo tripped an opponent in the box and the referee pointed to the spot, but the decision was quickly overturned after the referee saw his assistant’s flag raised for an earlier offside.

Victor Mbaoma and Samad Kadiri came on for Omoyele and Orok Gabriel before the hour, but it was Adamawa that that snatched the next moment, Idris Abubakar firing from the spot to provide a glimmer of hope after Nelson Ogbonnaya tripped Emmanuel Ibekwe in the box.

John Noble produced another fine save to stop Felix Kenan’s eightieth minute acrobatic strike, before Anayo missed two big moments at the other end – first smashing against the crossbar from close range, before firing wide after rounding the keeper.