Doma United 1-0 Kano Pillars: Osayi Kingdom keeps 11th clean-sheet of the season
Goalkeeper Osayi Kingdom kept his 11th clean-sheet in 13-games as Doma United defeated Kano Pillars FC 1-0 in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Osayi Kingdom who is on the watch-list of goalkeeper searching Super Eagles manager Jose Peseiro was again unbreached as the Savannah Tigers edged Pillars to go top of the standings.
That was his 9th cleansheet in a row, totalling 820 minutes without conceding a goal. The last time Doma United goalkeeper, Osayi Kingdom picked the ball from his net was vs Shooting Stars in October.
As captured in the match report by DOMA UNITED MEDIA, the decisive moment came in the 11th minute when Emmanuel Ekpenyong capitalized on a defensive lapse by Kano Pillars, slotting home with precision. This marked Ekpenyong’s second goal of the season, with his first one coming against Gombe United earlier in the campaign.
Doma United showcased an impressive start to the game, with Ekpenyong and Charles Terwar creating problems for Pillars’ defense. Although Emmanuel Jesam had a prime opportunity, his flicked attempt narrowly missed the mark.
A pivotal moment arrived when Jesam seized the ball from a defender, initiating a sequence that led to Ekpenyong’s goal. Unfortunately for Doma United, their captain Haruna Aliyu suffered a head injury in a collision with Kano Pillars defender, forcing him to be substituted. Adamu Umar Adah made his debut for the team as Aliyu’s replacement.
Jesam had a chance to extend Doma United’s lead to 2-0 but faltered from the penalty spot after Ekpenyong was brought down inside the box. Kano Pillars’ challenges intensified as Fahad Usman received a second yellow card, resulting in a red card and reducing them to 10 men.
Sani Suleiman had a golden opportunity to widen the lead for Doma United, but a vigilant Pillars defender blocked his shot for a corner kick.
Despite playing with a numerical disadvantage, Kano Pillars dominated the second half, launching numerous attempts at goal. However, Kingdom Osayi’s steadfast goalkeeping denied Pillars the chance to level the score.
In a strategic move, Doma United made three substitutions in the second half, introducing Bidemi Owoku, Manga Jacob, and Kazeem Abdulrafiu for Charles Terwar, Emmanuel Jesam, and Sani Suleiman, respectively.
The only booking of the game for Doma United was handed to Nelson Abiam earlier in the match, adding to the drama of an already intense encounter.
Doma United’s hard-fought victory positions them on the summit of the Nigeria Premier Football League standings, while Kano Pillars will reflect on missed opportunities in a game that saw them play with a numerical disadvantage for a significant duration.
