Lobi Stars FC vs Doma United FC

Lobi Stars FC 2 - 0 Doma United FC
19 Feb 2023 - 16:00New Jos Stadium, Jos

SPIRITED DOMA UNITED SUCCUMBED TO A LOBI’S EARLY GOALS

Joseph Atule’s early penalty and Abba Musa’s 9th minute long range strike from outside the box was enough to get all three points for the Benue side.
 
The match had an even start with the host creating some chances but were kept at bay by the resilient United’s defensive line and the goalkeeper.
 
Lobi would then take the lead in the 5th minute as Saifullahi Yusuf had a contact on Atule while both were racing towards the goal and the referee awarded a penalty and Atule converted the spot kick that put United on the backfoot.
 
Just when United were trying to recover from the shock of falling behind earlier in the game, Abba Musa unleashed a right-footed shot from outside the box to beat Kingdom into the roof of the net to extend the home side’s lead in the 9th minute.
 
United struggled to catch up with the high flying Lobi in the first half and the players were in need of a talk from their coaches and the half-time whistle provided that. The second half started with Doma United bringing off Samuel Enefiok and Emmanuel Ogwuche who were replaced by Bidemi and Chibuke.
 
The away side came out looking like the better side and started creating chances.
Usman Musa picked the ball from the middle, he picked out Bidemi from left wing with a beautiful pass and Bidemi passed to Majalisa but his cross couldn’t the await Chibuke.
In one of the good chances created by the visitors, Saifullahi’s right-footed freekick picked up high jumping Haruna whose header went closed but slightly went wide.
 
In a game that was highly contested between the two sides, Clement Junior and Kingdom Osayi picked up bookings in the first forty-five minutes.
 
After the game, United’s Technical Advicer, Akinade Onigbinde praised his boys for coming all out in the second half “I commend the boys for increasing the tempo of the game in the second half. We started poorly and gifted away the ball easily in the first half but as you saw it, we were the better side in the second half.”
 
On the team’s position on the log, the TA said “we actually wanted something better this but as you know, this is a game of football. We’ll go back home now, look at our lapses and correct them and come back stronger in the second half of the season.”
 
Doma United are sixth on the log of group B with 12 points after 9 games. They sit on the same points with the 5th placed side Sunshine stars but separated by goal difference.
 
The two sides will meet again in the first game of the second stanza of the league at the Pantami Township Stadium.