Nationale drowns Dolphin in Owerri

League leaders, Dolphin of Port Harcourt, put up a pathetic display not worthy of leaders in Owerri on Sunday that saw second placed Iwuanyanwu NAtionale close the gap to five points after two well taken goals by Uche Onyeka and Ikedinachi Nwakanma.

Dolphins showed they either were not prepared for the match or they got laickadaisical due to their eight point lead before the game.\

Another minus for the Port Harcourt based side was the absence of Keeper Sunday Rotimi and right full back, Kennedy Chinwo, out through suspensions.

Stand in keeper, Inengite Obhuo was clearly not in his elements as both goals were scored as a result of poor judgement on his part.

Also, Jide Micheal who played in right full back was the master of blunders, causing the first scary mommnet for Dolphin as early as the 2nd minute when he miskicked in the box.

Ofomba returns in glory

The star of the game was no doubt, former Enyimba attacking midfielder, John Ofomba who spent the whole of last season idle as Enyimba refused to register him for both the Premier league and CAF Champions League competitions due to indiscipline.

He has been touted to be the heir apparent to Austin Jay JAy Okocha but his indiscipline has made sure he is alwasy in one controversy or another.

Ofomba got his lucky break when Iwuanyanwu NAtionale secured his clearance form Enyimba and proved to all that he still had some magic in his boots.

Spotting the number 10 jersey, he was all over the place, making sure the Dolphins central defence of Abdul Ahmed and Emma Godwin as well as the defensive midfield of Kingsley Williams and Uduak Udofia stayed busy keepping him in check.

League top scorer, Uzoma Igwe could not add to his 8 goals this season as he continued to fire blanks all through the game.

In the 15th minute of the game he had his first chance to score, but his shot hit the side netting.

two minutes later, missed a chance to score with his head in the 6yard box when he headed wide a John Ofomba pull out.

On 19 minutes, Dolphins keeper, Inengite Obhuo completely missed a corner, but Joseph Eyimofe was on hand to clear the dangerous ball of the line.

Iwuanyanwu was still attacking and in the 24th, it was another frantic momment in the Dolphin area, but Uche Onyeka's free header goes wide off the mark.

About five minutes before half time, John Ofomba went on one of his forays and was felled by Jide Micheal close to the corner flag; the resultant free kick was completely mistimed by keeper Obhuo and Uche Onyeka headed in for goal number one.

Efosa's magic fails

Thirteen minutes into the first half, Dolphins Technical Adviser, Musa Abdulahi, brought in ball carrier, Efosa Eguakun for Ochuko Ojobo and Bola Bello for injured Kelechi Osunwa.

Musa Abdulahi had always said, bringing in Efosa is strategic because of his outstanding ball skills and his ability to win free kicks and penalties especially in the dying minutes of the game.

True to it, as soon as Efosa got in, he started taking the entire Iwauanyanwu defence on dancing lessons winning two free kicks in quick succession, one of them, taken by Joe Eyimofe which resulted in a scramble which Dolphin scored but the lines mans flag was already up for offside.

But despite the forays of Efosa Eguakun up front, it seemed every other Dolphin player had gone to sleep and Alphinsus Dike of Nationale capitalised on this, bringing in fast paced Ikedinachi Nwakanma for Gordian Ezechukwu who was looking tired.

Ten minutes after he came in, Nwakanma turned Uduak Udofia around just close to the edge of the Dolphin 18yard box, and without looking up he chipped the ball over the head of Inengite Obhuo who had left his line.

It was a beauty of a goal, one that could rank as goal of the month.

After this, it was a miracle Nationale did not score again and again, as they put the fire on the league leaders who were just hanging on.

Three minutes after the second goal, Mangut Mbawas tried a free kick from 40 yards which keeper Obhuo did well to hold tightly to.

Obhuo again saved a point blank shot in the box from NWakanma who was freed by a John Ofomba pass and he ran all the way in.

With the minutes ticking away and frustration clearly playing on the league leaders, Efosa Eguakun was yellow carded when he dived in the box in a bid to win a penalty.

At the sound of the final whistle, Iwuanyanwu Nationale were worthy winners, while the leaders, Dolphins left the stadium shame faced.

Iwuanyanwu Nationale: 1. Longinua Duru, 22. Calistus Nwankwo, 16. Joe Irechukwu, 35. Samson Uzoegbulam, 37. Victor Otosen, 4. Stanley Onuegbu, 10. John Ofomba, 18. Uzoma Igwe, 5. Uche Onyeka, 23. Mangut Mbawas, 11. Gordian Ezechukwu/ Ikedinachi Nwakanma 59th

Dolphin: 1. Inengite Obhuo, 26. Jide Micheal, 3. Joseph Eyimofe, 16. Kingsley Williams, 15. Emma Godwin, 6. Ahmed Abdulrahman, 14. Ochuko Ojobo/ Efosa Eguakun 58th, 11. Uwazuoke Wobo, 32. Ibrahim Idoko/ Haruna Musa 76th, 25. Uduak Udofia, 9. Kelechi Osunwa/ Bola Bello 58th

Cautions:

Dolphins: Uwazuoke Wobo 27th, Joe Eyimofe 53rd, Efosa Eguakun 72nd

Nationale: John Ofomba, 40th Callistus Nwankwo 76th