A Steven Anyanwu’s free kick goal within the two minutes of added time in the second half was all AS Racine needed to condemn Enyimba Feeders to a painful 1-0 defeat and to qualify at the expense of the Aba based team to the Semi- Finals of the on-going Bet9ja Super 8 tournament at the Agege Township Stadium.
Prior to the goal, both teams created so many chances in front of goal, but could not find the back of the net. AS Racine were more dominant through Olafimihan Gafar and Olawale Mutiu, both attackers were initiating attack to the vital area of Enyimba feeders, but Andrew Azubuike and Chukwudi Nwagwu in the central defence of Enyimba Feeders thwarted their efforts and their reliable safe hands in goal, Kelvin Ogunga was very agile to deny AS Racine goals in the game.;
Enyimba Feeders resulted to using quick counter attacks which rattled the defence of AS Racine, but Adeyemi Taiwo, the goal keeper of the Agege based team was equal to the task of keeping a clean slate for his team.
As the clock continues to tick towards a barren draw, a free kick was awarded by the Centre Referee to AS Racine at the edge of the box on the left side and the resultant kick was beautifully curled into the net by Anyanwu, who was drafted into the game in the 52nd minute of the game by Victor Agali, the technical adviser of the team.
The goal sent fans at the stadium into wild jubilation and great excitement filled the atmosphere as majority of the fans were clamouring for AS Racine to win the very tensed game. There was not a fight back from Enyimba Feeders as the Centre Referee signalled the end of the game.
With smiles on his face, Agali informed www.nigerianationalleague.com that his team played against a very good side and the game would have gone either way or even ended in a barren draw, but he is very happy with the victory.
“It was a good game of football Enyimba Feeders are not a bad side but it’s a good game of footbal and i am happy with my players for winning the game” Agali said.
His counterpart from Enyimba Feeders, Lawrencew Ukaegbu said it was a very good game and he never expected his players to conceed a goal at the dying minute after playing so well, but he painfully admitted that football can be cruel sometimes if you are on the losing side in the manner his team lost to AS Racine.
” Such is football. it’s a game I never expected to end like this.It was a game I believe we would have won. The players are very sad to have lost the game in added time” Ukaegbu said.
AS Racine is likely to play either Papilo FC of Owerri or My People FC of Lagos in the semi – finals of the Bet 9ja NLO Super 8.
