NPFL UPDATE: Kwara United, Enyimba open brawl ends in win for home team

In what many observers say is rare show of fighting spirit, Kwara United wrestled a win from a difficult match on its home turf at the Kwara State Stadium, Ilorin, against continental giant and third on the league table Enyimba Football Club of Aba.

The Kwara team has, until Sunday, shown vulnerability on home turf to the consternation of the club’s handlers, despite clear cut impressive records away.

But on Sunday, It was an especially different team that confronted Enyimba in Ilorin after the game ended 2-1 in favour of Kwara United.

Emmanuel Ogbole’s brace sank the Aba Elephants as the club from Abia, South East Nigeria is called.

Though Enyimba got an equalizer in the first half to leave matters at par for both team, Kwara United rallied in the second half to fire in the second goal.

“I believe I have to congratulate Kwara United because they played well.

“They needed the game and they got it; the players the team and all, they made valuable contribution and they got what they deserved,” stated Yemi Olanrewaju, Enyimba’s coach, standing in for Finidi George who is away in Morocco as interim coach of the Super Eagles, the national team.

Enyimba is also without the service of its first choice keeper.

But Olanrewaju doesn’t believe that the absence is reason for his loss.

He put the blame squarely on the referee. Even though his team got nine yellow cards, three red cards with he as a coach getting sent off.

Coach Olanrewaju being sent off in Ilorin

He argues that it has nothing to do with his team not showing maturity and discipline.

“I won’t blame my players. But I think you should ask the referee what happened.

“The first half was good.

“He opened the game, and that is the standards that should have been.

“But the second half what happened? I think he was threatened and he came on i the second half to mess up the whole game.

“We got nine yellow cards and three red cards.

“I only asked a him question saying how was that last call you made a foul.

He gave me a yellow card and I protested saying no, you did well in the first half what happened this second half,” he said.

But Coach Dogo Kabir of Kwara United understood what was at stake and went out all for it.

“The league has gotten to a stage where every point counts.

” Today is a different ball game and you can see that everybody fought for it,” the coach said.

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