BY KINGSLEY UZOWULU
Heartland Queens of Owerri in match day 18 of the NWFL defeated visiting Adamawa Queens by 1-0 to rap up the season.
The match which was decided at the main bowl of the Dan Anyiam Stadium saw the two sides that maintain a great rivalry lock horns.
At previous meetings, the North East side won 2 while the Owerri land ladies won 1.
The home team in match day 17 against Bayelsa Queens lost by0-2, while Adamawa Queens also trashed Naija Ratel with 2 I replied goals at the Makwada Stadium in Numan.
The Owerri side are sixth on the nine team group A table with nineteen points and a point below their opponent.
The match as commenced by 4pm via a kick off by the home team through Opara Chimaebere.
The Obi Ogbala girls indicated their quest to revenge the defeat they suffered in the hands of the Fresh air queens as they lost in the first stanza of the league in Numan by 0-2.
The home girls kept on mounting the required pressure on the visitors to succumb while keeping the Adamawa Queens in their own half, the visitors did everything to keep Heartland Queens attackers at Bay.
The goal tender of the Fresh air queens , Chinelo Echefu helped her team to contain the pressure by the home team as she stopped every move by the team to score and take the lead until the blast of the referees whistle for the end of the first period after six minutes additional time of play.
Adamawa Queens took the kickoff for the second half and the home wasted no time to seize possession of play with the determination to maintain their invincibility at home, they continued their onslaught into the visitors vital area without any goal to tell the story.
In the 90th minute of the match the home team took the lead off a goal mouth melee through the captain of the side, Opara Chimaebere.
The Fresh air queens came out from their shell after conceding the goal to put up a strong fight as the bench drafted in Amaechi Duru(18) and Akorede(4) to beef up the team .
The home team also sent in Agbaja Abibat and Kalu Onyinyechi to fortify the team.
The changes made by the two teams added some bite into the teams as the two teams fought like wounded lions with good ball possessions and display of soccer artistry.
The match remained in favor of the home team until the referee called for the end of proceedings.
In her reaction at a post match interview, the coach of Adamawa Queens , Heman Dadeino stated that her team played to her instructions while expressing her disappointment over what she called poor officiating by the match officials.
She said that her team is a work in progress and that by the next season of the NWFL Adamawa Queens will play in the Super Six.
Coach Obi Ogbala, commended his team for their resilience, team spirit and endurance in the cause of the match and expressed joy and happiness for their ability to pick the three points at stake.
The coach apologized to football fans in the state and beyond for the failure of the team to qualify for the Super Six but promised that the team will compete favourably in this year’s Federation cup to put smiles on the faces of soccer fans.
