Confederation cup: Heartland make second round

This victory gave the Arugo boys a 2-0 aggregate win but it did not come as easily as the scoreline suggests.

The first half of the match probably displayed the worst kind of co-ordination as both sides played not just as if nothing was at stake but as if they were forced into the pitch against their will.

“I do not blame my boys for noty doing so well at the start of the game,” Heartland Technical Adviser, Ufere Nwankwo told nigeriasports.com shortly after the game.

“I may have to sing the same old tune but with the late start of our league this happens to be only our second competitive game this year so you expect the co-ordination to be that way at first.”

However, the first stroke of excitement in the match came in the 18th minute when Okonda Onyekachi freed Chibuzor Ozurunba in the left.

Ozurumba side stepped his marker and ran all of thirty yards into the eighteen and face to face with goalkeeper Papa Abdulaziz and with the crowd rising in anticipation, he mis-kicked and the ball rolled lazily for a goal kick.

Four minutes later, Onyekachi show-boats on the right before pulling out for Ndidi Anumunu who slotted behind the keeper but the flag was already up for offside.

Obinna Nwokolo, returning to the side after contracts tussle with Enyimba a shadow of his former self, putting every foot wrong and causing pressure to fall on his defence.

It was slack defending by Nwokolo in the 23rd minute that freed Dromane Kamara, but his shooting was no good as he blasted wide with just Longinus Duru left to beat.

Five minutes later, Ndidi Anumunu did well to free his strike partner, Chibuzor Ozurumba but Chibuzor shot tamely at the goalkeeper.

Nwokolo, probably yet to shake off the lethargy of his inactivity missed kicked a pass to him which allowed Dromane Kamara get hold of the ball but he fumbled the gift, probably because he did not expect it.

It was Nwokolo again in the 31st minute gifting a pass to Bamba Dauda, but Callistus Nwankwo recovered to save the day.

With the first half 44 minutes gone, it took Ndidi Anumunu to seal a very drab affair when he chipped over on rushing keeper Papa Abdelaziz off an Onyekachi Okoye pass.

At the start of the second half, Onyekachi Okoye, Ndidi Anumunu and Chibuzor Ozurumba became tormentors in chief, bombarding the
Jeunesse area but failed to make the final touch right.

With twelve minutes gone in the second half, Ozurumba evaded his marker after receiving a through pass from Chuks Samson; he rounded unrushing keeper Papa, but failed to control when he was through on goal losing the ball to the keeper who recovered quickly.

But the march had a different outlook when Dauda Bamba looked to have scored a good goall that was controversially disallowed by referee, Pare Lassina.
Domba Quattara found space to locate Dauda Bamba to score but to the chagrin of even the home fans, the referee called for offside.

Mike Ochei came on for Ndidi Anumunu  in the 69th minute and two minutes later he was celebrating the second goal of the match.

“I always want to score when I play games and I thank God this time took me just three minutes to do so. I’m happy with the result and we can only hope to do better as the tournament progresses.” An elated Mike Ochei said after the match.
 

Chibuzor Ozurumba who had fluffed a good chance to put the homers two nil up three minutes ago powered down the right side of the field pulling out for Ochei who was lurking in the six yard box to blast home.

At this point it seemed the Ivoriens had given up on coming back into the game and just decided to stay back in the half giving the duo of Ochei and Ozurumba the edge to pile the pressure.

However poor marksmanship robbed Heartland of more goals in the last quarter of the game.

Coach of the Ivorien side, Aboubacar Quattara blamed the loss to the antics of the referee.

“The referee was not good. We scored a good goal but what happened?” he asked as he left the pitch.

Heartland:
Longinus Duru, Callistus Nwankwo, Okonda Onyekachi, Chuks Sampson, Victor Ezuruike, Obinna Nwokolo, Onyekachi Okoye, Anayo, Onyekwere, Kelechi Okoye/Jacob Christian 60th, Ndidi Anumunu/Mike Ochei 69th, Chibuzor Ozurumba/Aruwa 90th

Subs not used
Austin Brown, Bulus Samuel, ThankGod Ike, Stanley Onuegbu,

Jeunesse:
Papa Abdoulaziz, Keita Baha, N’goran Richard, Ahiepo Bonaventure, Kousi Bertin, Diby Rowland, Bamba Dauda, Quattara Domba/ Gahoubi Goua 85th, Kamara Dromane, Djebi Zan, Inza Bayoko

Subs not used

Olecame Bebe, Soure Sekou, Kone Youba, Gosco Gouposson, Kone Dauda

Cautions:

Callistus Nwankwo 63rd, Obinna Nwokolo 84th

Center Referee
Pare Lassina Burkina Faso

1st Asst Referee

Pare Lossene Burkina Faso

2nd Asst Referee

Quattara Aly Burkina Faso

Reserve referee

Sani Zubairu  Nigeria