Heartland bungle two-goal lead at Wolves

Samson Siasia’s side, Heartland Football Club, failed to hold on to a two-goal lead at Warri Wolves and had to share the spoils with the home side in a 2 – 2 draw at the Warri City Stadium on Sunday.

The game at the Warri stadium had to be played under floodlight due to heavy downpour that led to poor visibility.

It was Wolves that had to fight back from two goals in front of their fans after former Kano Pillars’ man, Bello Kofarmata and Osas Okoro scored inside the hour mark for Heartland.

Ehiosun Ekigho was the hero for Warri Wolves, as his double saved coach Paul Aigbogun from his first defeat in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) since taking charge of the side in the off-season.

It was inside 10 minutes against the run of play that the petite Kofarmata score to put the Naze Millionaires in front with Siasia watching from the stands of the stadium.

After that goal, Wolves kept the pressure coming and got nothing in the first half, as Heartland went into the break with their early lead intact.

Seven minutes into the second half, Warri Wolves’ fans were stunned when Okoro’s strike crossed the line for Heartland’s second of the game to put the away side in a dream start after the break.

Sensing that his goalkeeper for the game, Ambrose Vanzekin, was the weak link in defence, Aigbogun took the gamble and threw in Augustine Ezie on 59 minutes.

Two minutes later, Ekigho grabbed his first of a brace to set the tone for a dramatic finish in the game of the day.

The Wolves’ marksman was not done yet, as he put his team level on 66 minutes to send Warri fans into wild jubilation.

Aigbogun, however, decided to heap the pressure on Heartland by introducing striker Ebuka Okafor for midfielder Gift Atulewa with 20 minutes left to play.

Attempts by both sides to take all points never happened, as they shared the spoils.

The result leaves Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) on top of the log after Week 3 games with seven points.

Gombe United, Enugu Rangers, Sunshine Stars and Enyimba are in second, third, fourth and fifth positions respectively.

Ocean Boys are the basement boys with one point after their stuttering display in Enugu on Sunday.