Resilient Elephants snatch a precious point in Kano

A spirited performance from Dede Dare and all the boys proved decisive in the Elephants earning their first point of the season in Kano.

The boys began to impose themselves from the beginning of the game and took the battle to the locals, with half chances for the visitors. Iyanda got it right but was flagged offside in the 14th minute after a good exchange of passes with Ihemekwele.

Dede Dare came up big in the 27th minute to keep us in the game and three minutes later Ihemekwele was ruled offside after Iyanda set him up to score.

Dare made two saves in five minutes as we walked unscathed back to the tunnel. Dede made two saves in the 50th minute to keep the boys locked in and the match was temporarily stopped after a strong wind.

The match resumed despite the strong wind. The wind changed the flight of the ball in the 60th minute but Dare took it back and the boys took the battle to the hosts, now moving towards a goal as the hosts defended and kept us at bay.

Dare made another great save twice in three minutes as the 10 minutes of added time gradually ran out. Iyanda Tobi almost snatched the winning goal from us late in the game after a fierce attack with the lively Wonah William, but the hosts regrouped to deny us a late goal.

The People’s Elephants’ next game will be Wednesday at home against the Shooting Stars.