Kano Pillars Football Club on Sunday beat visiting Akwa United FC of Uyo 3-2 in a week five game of the ongoing 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The match, which was played at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, was watched by a large crowd of spectators.
Akwa United’s Michael Ibe opened scoring in the 10th minute, while Rabiu Ali equalised for the home side in the 14th minute, before adding another goal in the 26th minute.
Former Pillars’ winger Ubong Ekpai levelled the scores for the visitors in the 43rd minute when he tapped in from Ezenwa Otorogu’s cross.
Ali completed his hat-trick for the evening with a header two minutes after the break.
Several efforts by the visitors to equalise proved abortive, as the home side defended tenaciously to win the game’s maximum points.
Ekpai, however, earned the red card for a second bookable offence when he handled the ball.
In a post-match interview, the Chief Coach of Kano Pillars, Muhammad Babaganaru, expressed satisfaction with his players’ performance, particularly in the second half.
Babaganaru admitted that his boys were unnecessarily relaxed in the first half of the encounter, saying he had to psyche them up in the second half of the game.
“My boys played to instructions in the second half of the game and we got our maximum points,’’ he said.
However, coach Maurice Cooreman of Akwa United, on his part, was bitter with the officiating.
“I am not in the mood to talk now and I am not satisfied with the officiating at all,’’ he said.
The coach also complained about the red card given to his star player in the second half of the entertaining encounter.
Kano Pillars now have 10 points from five matches they have played so far.
