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BY KINGSLEY UZOWULU
Heartland Queens of Owerri on matchday 18 of the NWFL defeated visiting Adamawa Queens 1-0 to kick off their season.
The match that was decided at the main bowl of the Dan Anyiam stadium saw the two teams that maintain a great rivalry clash.
In the previous matches, the North East team won 2 while Owerri Land Ladies won 1.
The home team in matchday 17 against Bayelsa Queens lost by 0-2, while Adamawa Queens also destroyed Naija Ratel with 2 goals in response at the Makwada Stadium in Numan.
The Owerri team is sixth in the standings of the nine teams in group A with nineteen points and one point below their opponent.
The match started at 4pm with a kick-off from the home team via Opara Chimaebere.
Obi Ogbala’s girls have indicated their quest to avenge the defeat suffered at the hands of the fresh air queens by losing in the first stanza of the championship to Numan by 0-2.
The home girls continued to increase the pressure needed for the visitors to succumb by keeping Adamawa Queens in their own half, the visitors did everything they could to keep the Heartland Queens attackers at bay.
The fresh air queens’ goal tender, Chinelo Echefu helped his team contain the pressure of the home team by stopping every move of the team to score and take the lead until the referee’s whistle for the end of the first period after six minutes of extra time play.
Adamawa Queens kicked off the second half and the hosts wasted no time in taking possession of the game with the determination to maintain their invincibility at home, they continued their assault into the visitors’ vital area with no goal to tell the story.
In the 90th minute of the match the home team took the lead with a goal from the melee thanks to the team captain, Opara Chimaebere.
The fresh air queens came out of their shell after conceding the goal to fight hard while the bench deployed Amaechi Duru (18) and Akorede (4) to strengthen the team.
The home team also sent Agbaja Abibat and Kalu Onyinyechi to fortify the team.
The changes made by the two teams added some bite to the teams as the two teams fought like wounded lions with good ball possessions and display of footballing ability.
The match remained in favor of the home team until the referee declared the end of the proceedings.
In his reaction to a post-match interview, Adamawa Queens coach Heman Dadeino said his team followed his instructions, expressing his disappointment with what he called poor officiating by the match officials.
He said his team is a work in progress and that by next NWFL season Adamawa Queens will be playing in the Super Six.
Coach Obi Ogbala, commended his team for their resilience, team spirit and perseverance in the cause of the match and expressed joy and happiness at their ability to collect the three points at stake.
The coach apologized to football fans in the state and not only for the team’s failure to qualify for the Super Six, but promised that the team will compete favorably in this year’s Federation Cup to put smiles on the faces of football fans.
