Match Report: Ifeanyi Uba 1-1 Enyimba

Enyimba snatched a late leveller to force FC Ifeanyi Uba to a 1-1 draw in Nnewi on Thursday.

Ifeanyi Uba seemed to be coasting home with Uzochukwu Ifejiofor’s first-half goal, but Nabil Yarou headed in an equaliser four minutes from time to snatch a point for the People’s Elephant and compound more relegation worries on the Anambra Warriors who are now four points from safety.

Scoring chances were not hard to come by in an explosive start to a gripping fixture as Reuben Bala and Ekene Awazie came close for their respective sides with the game still in its infancy.

Anayo Iwuala also had his chance midway through the half, but the opener did not come until the half-hour as Uzochukwu Ifejiofor headed the hosts into the lead when he found space inside the box to direct a corner kick into the bottom right.

Nonso Nzediegwu missed a chance to double the lead two minutes later and Emmanuel Ampiah stepped in to block Ekene Awazie’s threatening strike as the hosts followed their opener with a flurry of chances.

Dare Olatunji raised Enyimba’s bar with a curler from the edge of the box as halftime beckoned.

Olatunji came close on two other occasions while Bala tried the keeper from outside the box as Enyimba looked reborn after the restart.

A triple switch saw the introductions of Stephen Manyo, Samad Kadiri and Tosin Omoyele as Fatai Osho effected a major tweak to his setup twenty minutes into the second half.

But the visitors were made to wait until the final moments before Yarou headed in Anayo’s freekick to restore parity and confirm Enyimba’s first point at Ifeanyi Uba.

POST MATCH REACTION: “It was a game of two halves” – Fatai Osho