Ekiti United FC continued their impressive unbeaten run at home with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Abakaliki FC in a tightly contested encounter at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado Ekiti.
A minute of silence was observed before kickoff in honour of the late NFRA President, Alhaji Aliyu Zubairu.
The home side started brightly, dominating possession and creating early chances, but were denied by a resolute Abakaliki defence and their impressive goalkeeper.
The visitors also threatened at intervals, but Wale Makanjuola was in top form, producing crucial saves to keep the scoreline level.
The decisive moment came in the 40th minute when Damilola Adeyeye was fouled inside the box. Ayodeji Lawal stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to give Ekiti United a deserved lead heading into halftime.
The second half saw both sides push for more goals, but Ekiti United remained disciplined at the back while Makanjuola made key interventions to preserve the lead, his outstanding performance earned him the Man of the Match award as the game ended 1–0 in favour of the home team.
Speaking after the match, goal scorer Ayodeji Lawal expressed his delight at contributing to the victory, stating that he remained calm while taking the penalty and is happy to help the team maintain their strong home record.
Head Coach Bolarinwa Idris also praised his team’s discipline and character, noting that it was a tough game but a well-deserved win against a strong opponent.
Ekiti United FC will now shift focus to their next fixture as they travel to face Akwa United FC on Sunday, 29th.
