At the iconic Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium, Ebonyi State, Abakaliki FC delivered a statement performance on home turf, dismantling Godswill Akpabio United FC 4–1 in a commanding display that signaled a powerful response to their recent setbacks.
Fuelled by renewed belief, tactical discipline, and collective intensity, the hosts produced a dominant second-half masterclass, with Joseph Chibuike Onwuzigbo emerging as the standout figure and deserved Man of the Match.
The contest began as a tightly contested tactical battle, with both sides probing cautiously and vying for midfield supremacy. Despite several promising attacking movements from Abakaliki FC, the opening half ended in a stalemate, with neither side able to breach the defensive lines.
However, the hosts’ attacking intent and tempo suggested that the deadlock was only temporary.
Following the restart, Abakaliki FC returned with heightened urgency and clinical precision, pressing aggressively and stretching the visitors’ defensive structure.
Their persistence finally paid dividends as they broke the deadlock before launching a devastating attacking surge that produced four goals in a thrilling offensive display. The emphatic scoring burst electrified the home supporters and showcased the tangible results of weeks of focused tactical preparation.
Speaking after the match, Man of the Match Joseph Chibuike Onwuzigbo credited the victory to resilience, teamwork, and the squad’s unwavering commitment to improvement.
“We are very happy today. It is not a surprise because we have been working toward this since the second round. Even though the results in our last two matches were not in our favour, we kept pushing ourselves higher. Our slogan is HPM: we go higher to make things possible,” he said.
The Abakaliki FC forward also highlighted the importance of unity within the squad and the leadership of the technical crew.
“Without teamwork, I cannot win any match alone. It is the grace of God and the support of my teammates that made this possible. I also want to thank our coach, Starplus Anieta. He is a great man and is working tirelessly to ensure we achieve our goals.”
Head coach Starplus Anieta expressed satisfaction with his side’s performance, noting that the players’ display reflected the intensity and dedication seen in recent training sessions.
“I must say I am highly impressed with the performance of the boys. Even though the first half ended goalless, the way they were playing showed they were determined to respond to the unfortunate results we had in the past two weeks.”
Anieta revealed that improving the team’s attacking productivity had been a major focus in training. "For weeks we have been working on scoring goals. The last time I spoke, I said we needed to score more goals at home. Today we are not only happy to secure the three points, but also pleased that the goals finally came and we were able to score four times in front of our fans.”
Despite the dominant win, the coach acknowledged a late defensive lapse that allowed the visitors to pull one back. “The only thing we are not happy about is conceding a careless goal late in the game. But from what we have seen today, if we continue sharpening the team, they will perform even better in the coming matches.”
On the opposing bench, John Ema, goalkeeper trainer for Godswill Akpabio United FC, admitted that his side’s loss of concentration after halftime proved costly. “Football can go either way. The boys played very well in the first half, but in the second half they lost concentration and that affected the result. When we get back home, we will put things in order and work on our mistakes.”
Visiting player Wisdom Tom echoed similar sentiments, pointing to defensive lapses that allowed Abakaliki FC to seize control of the match. “It was a good game in the first half, but our defenders lost concentration after the first goal. Personally, I am not happy with the result, but we will learn from it.”
The emphatic victory not only restores confidence within the Abakaliki FC camp but also sends a clear warning to rivals as the campaign intensifies.
With renewed attacking sharpness, improved cohesion, and growing momentum, Abakaliki FC appear determined to climb higher in the standings - living up to their rallying cry:
HPM meaning Higher, Possible, More.
