A 96th minute disputed penalty, converted by Ezekiel Edidiong denied Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia the opportunity to record their first win of the season as they were forced to a 1-1 draw by Akwa United Football Club in the Matchday 2 of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League encounter played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
It was a bizarre decision that left even the home fans and spectators baffled.
Coach Imama Amapakabo made one change to the side that lost at home to Remo Stars with Nicholas Jonathan taking the place of Ogunjimi Samuel.
Within five minutes of play Umu Chineke were a goal up.
Ayodele Ezekiel dribbled past his marker, laid a pass to Adejoh Ojonugwa to release a bullet of a shot that the keeper, Seidu Mutawakilu spilled to the path of Anthony Ijoma, who controlled the ball and left it for Ojonugwa to slam into the net for the opener.
The goal startled the home side as they came all out in search of an equalizer, but the Warriors defence quartet of Augustine Njoku, Emmanuel Ogbuagu, Collins Nwoburuoke and Philip Ogwuche held sway till the end of the first half.
There was pandemonium at the restart when the fourth official failed to signal the centre referee for Abia Warriors substitutions to come on, and the game got underway with the visitors starting with nine men.
More drama ensued as the match officials took over three minutes to sort themselves out, and Nicholas Jonathan, one of the players to make way was now forced to rejoin the game.
Eventually, the substitutes, Emmanuel Onu and Wilson Elu came on, to complete the numbers for Abia Warriors.
Akwa United, buoyed by the home supporters threw everything at the visitors, but they could not get a breakthrough.
The home side were lucky not to concede again as the Warriors failed to take the numerous chances that came their way.
With the visitors cruising to victory, the unexpected happened. Five minutes of added time was shown by the reserve referee and in the sixth minute of the added time , after a throw-in by Akwa United deep in Abia Warriors half, the referee inexplicably awarded a penalty to the hosts, after he adjudged an Abia Warriors defender to have handled the ball in the vital area to the chagrin of the visitors.
Substitute, Edidiong Ezekiel converted from the spot to level the scores for the Promise Keepers.
Next for the Warriors of Umuahia is a week 3 encounter against Sunshine Stars of Akure at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode.
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Peter Bowman
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