NPFL24: Doma United secured a 3-0 Victory Over Gombe United in the Jewel Derby
Doma United secured a historic victory against Gombe United, in a spectacular 3-0 win during the highly contested Jewel Derby held at the Pantami Stadium on Sunday.
In a pulsating emcounter, Doma United displayed their prowess as Emmanuel Ekpenyong, a substitute player, scored his debut NPFL goal, while Kingdom Osayi provided two crucial assists, enabling Emmanuel Jesam to secure a brace.
Early in the game, both teams exhibited early aggression. Gombe United initially dominated the game, yet Kingdom Osayi’s outstanding goalkeeping prevented any breakthrough, making two remarkable saves to keep the visitors at bay. Emmanuel Ekpenyong’s breakthrough arrived in the 52nd minute, as he combined skillfully with Hillary Ekawu, unleashing a left-footed shot that eluded the keeper, initiating jubilation among the Pantami Stadium crowd.
Barely moments after, Osayi’s precise long pass found Emmanuel Jesam, who soared past defenders and elegantly volleyed the ball past the keeper, igniting fervent celebrations among the Doma United supporters.
The match intensified as Gombe United relentlessly attempted to narrow the lead, but Doma United’s solid defense thwarted their efforts. Despite occasional counterattacks, notably by Bidemi, Doma United retained control. In the 86th minute, Osayi once again exhibited his vision with a long pass to Jesam, who swiftly capitalized on the opportunity, slotting the ball beneath the keeper, to secue a 3-0 lead for Doma United.
The game saw thrilling moments in the added time, with Sani Suleiman’s brilliant free-kick hitting the post and Ekpenyong narrowly missing an attempt.
Doma United made some changes to their lineup, reintroducing Haruna Aliyu, Auwalu Abubakar, Usman Musa, and Samuel Matthew.
After the match, Coach Akinade expressed his delight at the team’s performance and revealed plans to improve their finishing “actually we’re very excited with the win. We talked to the boys during halftime and as you saw, they came all out and showed what we can do. we some good scoring chances and we missed them but we’re going to work on that.”
Emmanuel Jesam, delighted with his NPFL goals, attributed his success to divine intervention and vowed to continue working hard for the team’s success in the future “I feel very happy, I feel great. It’s God’s doing and we thank him for that. I feel so much happy and as you know it’s easy playing a derby game. I will keep on working hard and see what God will do for me “.
Auwalu Abubakar and Haruna both entered the referees book.
Looking ahead, the Savannah Tigers are poised to face Bendel Insurance on Wednesday November 8th, 2023, in a rescheduled match day five fixture, with hopes of maintaining their winning streak in the NPFL.