By Daily Sports on February 15, 2016

Nigeria’s other representatives in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup competition, Nasarawa United, yesterday emulated Akwa United by winning their first leg, first round match, although Akwa United are the more comfortable after a 1-0 win over Club Mokanda away in Congo-Brazzaville on Saturday.

At the National Stadium, Abuja, Nasarawa United squeezed out a hard-fought 2-1 over visiting AS Academie Generation Foot of Senegal, meaning the return leg in Dakar in a fortnight is delicately poised.

Striker Tayo Fabiyi shot the Solid Miners in front after only five minutes from a goalmouth scramble, but the expected floodgate failed to open. Fabiyi, Thomas Zenke and Esosa Igbinoba all missed opportunities to increase the tally.

The visitors showed great skill, awareness and ability on the ball, but were thwarted by Nasarawa United goalkeeper Danladi Umar on a few occasions. Alieu Jatta, Lemouya Goudiaby, Ismaila Sarr and Ibrahima Niane were particularly impressive.

A minute after resumption for the second half, Nasarawa United goalie Umar mistimed a ball floated into the area, and a lurking Ibrahima Niane made no mistake to draw both teams level.

Though Nasarawa United threw everything into the fray, goalkeeper Mohamed Niare and defenders Mohamed Kane, Sidy Diop and Wagane Faye were forever alert.

In the dying seconds of regulation time, Nasarawa United’s toil paid off as referee Thiam Mamadou from Mauritania awarded them a penalty kick after the Senegalese defenders handled in the box. Seun Sogbesan made no mistake from the spot.

Despite the slim victory, Nasarawa United head coach Kabir Dogo believes his side are on course to book their passage to the next stage of the competition.

Dogo said though the Senegalese side are good the Nigerian top flight side will get the job done in the reverse fixture clash in Dakar in a fortnight.

His words: “We have a good chance of qualification to the next stage of the competition, we will go there and get the desired result.

“We have seen the Senegalese side’s strengths and weaknesses as well as ours. We will move fast to work on our shortcomings before the second round.

“Football is all about creating chances and how you use the chances are what count at the end of the day.

“We had several chances at goal which we did not use, especially in the first half of the encounter.

“However, we must admit we played against a very strong, young and athletic side who asserted themselves from the word go.

“I think they profited handsomely from the fact that their league is already running unlike ours that is yet to start.

“I believe they played far better than us in today’s (Sunday) match but I have confidence we will get the right result at their home and progress to the next stage.” (thenff.com/supersport.com)

•File photo shows Nasarawa United players filing out from the pitch.

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 15, 2016

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