Ibrahim Yahaya’s equaliser in the 70′ was all what Gombe United needed become the first team this season to pick a point at Plateau United’s home ground in the ongoing Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).
The match day 34 fixture was delayed for twelve minutes following a heavy downpour at the New Jos stadium.
The hosts dominated the game in the first fifteen minutes before the visitors found their rhythm in the course of the encounter.
Goalkeeper Gambo Gideon was called to duty in the 28′ as he parried Charles Henlong sublime goal bound free kick from the edge of the box with no follow up from his teammates.
Despite pockets of glaring goal chances from both sides the first stanza ended goalles after the expiration of the added three minutes.
The Savannah Scorpions continued from where they stopped in the first half as they went on rampage in their quest to break the deadlock but to no avail.
Gombe United were heartbroken in the 61′ when the referee awarded a goal headed from Daniel Itodo’s long throw in from the left flank which defender Ahmed Family thought he’d cleared on the line; despite the protest the goal stand and Rahman Olarenwaju was booked in the process.
Then came the equaliser in the 70′ following a superb interplay between Ahmed Jimoh, Yusuf Abdulazeez and Ibrahim Yahaya from the left flank before Jimoh layoff Ibrahim Yahaya who put the ball beyond the reach of goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso.
A controversial penalty was awarded in the 89′ ;as Plateau United’s player simulated after dribbling passed his marker before getting into the box where he missed step.
Nenrot Silas who stepped forward missed the spot kick as he his effort went wide.
Reacting after the match Gombe United’s Tecnical Adviser,Aliyu Zubairu applauded his boys for playing according to instructions.
” Well, i’m delighted that my boys were calmed and focused. They didn’t allowed anxiety to consume them. Kudos to them”.
Aliyu Zubairu explained that for this season,his target is to stabilize the team on the table,then prepare more for next seaso
