By SCM Sports Writer in Lafia
LAFIA CITY Stadium was rocking with the sound of stunned silence yesterday as a lightning-fast second-half blitz saw El Kanemi Warriors humble hosts Nasarawa United with a clinical 3-0 victory, temporarily seizing the top spot in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The ‘Solid Miners’ of Nasarawa United, fresh off a four-game winless drought, were hoping the familiar turf of their Lafia stronghold would see them return to winning ways.
However, the visitors from Maiduguri had other ideas, turning the atmosphere into a cauldron of frustration for the home support.
The tension was palpable at the break after the Warriors edged ahead.
It was the veteran striker Yusuf who broke the deadlock, coolly slotting home a penalty in the 39th minute to give El Kanemi a crucial one-goal lead heading into the tunnel.
But the contest was effectively ended within three minutes of the restart as the visitors hit the stunned home side with a devastating one-two punch.
Barely a minute had passed when Yusuf doubled the lead in the 46th minute, punishing a lapse in the Nasarawa defence.
Before the home side could catch their breath and reorganise, midfielder Garba hammered home the third goal in the 48th minute, sparking wild celebrations in the away dugout and emptying out a frustrated portion of the stands at the Lafia City Stadium.
The three-goal cushion proved insurmountable. Nasarawa United could find no answer to the Warriors’ newfound momentum, with the home side’s play increasingly ragged as the clock ticked down.
The result is a bitter pill for the home fans, who saw their team collapse at a venue where they pride themselves on taking maximum points.
El Kanemi Warriors have sent a massive statement of intent, and all eyes will now be on the rest of the NPFL fixtures to see if their stay at the summit is a long one.
