Emueje Ogbiagbevha scored a late winner as Delta Queens came from behind to beat Saadatu Amazon 2-1 on Wednesday.
The bulky striker clinched three points in the sixth minute of injury time after running onto a brilliant goal kick from Rita Akarekor from and shooting past Chioma Okoye.
Delta Queens went into this contest with two draws from their previous two games – without conceding in any of them. Their counterparts had lost two of their matches before the contest in Kwale.
The home side had a wonderful chance to make the breakthrough inside the opening three minutes when Maryan Ezenagu raced clear off the Saadatu Amazon defence as she led a three-on-one situation, but the attacker decided to shoot instead of pass and her effort went harmlessly wide off Okoye’s goal.
Saadatu Amazon’s first attempt on target arrived in the seventh minute when Orlu met a deep corner from Chinenye Okafor, but her header was straight at Akarekor.
Another half-chance for Ibrahim Ladan’s team arrived four minutes later when Alvin Dahz skinned Lilian Cole before delivering a low cross towards Orlu, but Margaret Etim was on hand to make a fine challenge.
Oluwaseun Fakunle, who was making her first appearance of the season was next to come close for Delta Queens as she attempted a spectacular overhead kick after a header from Ezenagu had found the youngster, but the attacking midfielder’s effort hit the outside of the post as Saadatu Amazon survived once again.
The visitors, however, were dangerous on the counter-attack and Chinaza Enuma should have made more from a Becky Ajadi’s cross in the 25th minute after the attacker absolutely breezed past Mariam Nwoko down the right.
Okoye had to get down well to keep out a low Ezenagu effort on the half-hour mark after a lull in proceedings at the Kwale Township Stadium, before Fakunle headed a dangerous Cole cross over the crossbar as it remained goalless approaching the end of the first period.
Saadatu Amazon silenced the home fans with a stunner – Orlu firing home from outside the box after Ajadi had found the forward with a cushioned pass in the 44th minutes.
Delta Queens should have leveled in the 48th minute when Emueje found all sorts of space inside the Saadatu Amazon box, but Okoye was again on hand to make the save, before Joy Jegede, Maureen Godwin and Maryan Ohadiwe were introduced as the 2012 Nigeria Women Premier League (NWPL) tried to fightback.
Emueje almost equalised in the 50th minute when she met a loose ball inside the box, but Okoye made another smart save.
Delta Queens eventually leveled the scores in the 58th minute when Fakunle fired home 24 yards from goal after a flicked pass from Emueje.
The lively quartet of Emueje, Fakunle, Ohadiwe and Ezenagu continued to lead the charge as Delta Queens searched for the winning goal.
One of such forays saw Ohadiwe’s bullet hit the woodwork with seven minutes left on the clock.
The winning goal arrived deep into injury time. A goal kick from Akarekor landed at the path of Emueje who showed power to out muscle two defenders before smashing the ball into the top corner to send the home supporters into ecstasy.
Next up for Delta Queens is a trip to Pelican Stars on April 19, while Adamawa Queens will welcome Nasarawa Amazons to Minna on the same afternoon.
Culled from nwfl.com.ng
