With a spirited 2-1 victory on Sunday in the condensed 2022/2023 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Doma United Football Club of Gombe ended Rivers United’s unbeaten streak.
The hosts came from behind to win in the Group B Match Day 6 match at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
In the game’s 25th minute, Ngweni Ndasi gave the Port Harcourt-based NPFL champions the lead.
However, Usman Musa scored twice in the game’s final 30 and 68 minutes to earn a hat trick and give the home team all three points.
During the post-match conference, the Technical Manager of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma, said his team were punished for their lapses in spite of scoring first.
He said his players did not give the match the expected importance that every match in the league deserved.
“It was a good game. We went ahead early in the game, before the opponents equalised through lapses from our team. We made some costly mistakes and we paid for them.
“We needed to face every match with the importance it deserves, but we didn’t give this match what was deserved. We were a bit lackadaisical.
”But it is a problem we can resolve,” Eguma said.
He said they would correct their mistakes ahead of their next match against Bayelsa United to ensure they did better as the league progressed.
On his part, Akinade Onigbinde, the Technical Adviser of Doma United FC, described the victory as an indication of the good things to come for the club going forward.
He said the result was a reward for his players’ hard work, dedication and passion for the club.
”We give thanks to God for this victory. I specially commend the club owner, Suleiman Umar, for all the support to the team.
”It has really boosted our morale and encouraged us to keep fighting hard to get something better from every match.”
NAN reports that Doma United now sit fourth on the Group B log with nine points from six matches, after two wins and three draws.
Rivers United on their part dropped to second place behind new leaders Lobi Stars, with both on 13 points from six matches but the Makurdi side are ahead on goals difference. (NAN)