By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti United FC on Sunday morning defeated Madiba FC to 2-1 to finish second, one point adrift Abeokuta Stormers in the Nigeria National League, NNL Southern Conference B3.
The match day 8 was concluded on Sunday morning after heavy down pour halted proceedings on Saturday evening due to water logged pitch.
Madiba FC took the lead inside 10 minutes when Sunday Fadeyi converted from the spot after Ekiti United goalkeeper, Adewale Makanjuola fell to his antics inside the box.
The home side went in search of the equalizer and it paid off with just 5 minutes to the interval when Pius Chikodi tapped in from close range from Noah Odufu’s cut back from the left flank.
Both side had to settle for 1-1 at half time.
On resumption, Ekiti United quickly settled into the game but downpour brought the game to a halt as the centre referee stopped the game in the 60th minute due to water logged pitch.
After due consultation with the match officials, the remaining minutes of the game was scheduled to be concluded on Sunday morning.
At the restart, both teams searched for the winner but Ekiti United got a late winner on the 90th minute from Ibrahim Sodiq collected a well tailored pass for Segun Ajengele to send the home crowd in to rapturous celebration.
Ekiti United finished second on 16 points, a point adrift Abeokuta Stomers SC that topped the group and qualified the NNL Super 8 spot from Southern Conference Group B3.
Despite the victory, head coach of Ekiti United, Kehinde Anjorin, the Team Manager, Adedeji Adu and captain of the team, Adewale Makanjuola expressed disappointment for missing the NNL Super 8 by just a point.
They noted that the narrow miss was regrettable despite the massive support given by the state Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, Ekiti FA Chairman, chief Olu Oloworemo, Hon Deji Adesokan and UK based Lanre Ajayi in term of financial rewards for players for victorious outings while the season lasted.
The quartet described the politics of the League orchestrated by some desperate club officials in connivance with some clueless match officials as the albatross of Ekiti United , emphasizing that Ekiti United would have topped the Group B3 table.
The top team in each of the 8 abridged tables will contest in the NNL Super 8 scheduled to hold in few weeks while the top 4 at the end of the Super 8 will be promoted to the Nigeria Premier Football League next season.
