A toothless MFM FC side fell 2-0 to the superior firepower of their hosts, Rivers United at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium on Sunday.
Goals in either half from Ossy Martins and Esor Nelson handed the Pride of Rivers their first win in 2020, putting an end to MFM’s four-game unbeaten run.
It was the sixth meeting between the two NPFL clubs, with two wins apiece and a draw in the previous five matches.
Therefore, with both teams balanced on head to head going into the NPFL Week 12 encounter this evening at the Gowon Stadium, the game was primed to be entertaining and lived up to the hype.
Rivers United dominated proceedings from start to finish and could have scored even more goals but for their wastefulness in front of goal.
The first scorer, Ossy, Ishaq Rafiu, who missed two good chances and Bamba Bakary were all guilty of missing very good chances to score for United in the first half, which ended 1-0 in favour of the home side.
Ossy was the scorer of the opener and netted just three minutes before half an hour.
After the restart, United continued from where they stopped – on the front foot and was rewarded four minutes into the score half when Nelson doubled their advantage following a sleek team move.
However, it was back to the profligacy after the second goal, with Stephen Michael Gopey’s 61-minute miss from six yards the worse of the pack.
Ossy and Ishaq missed more chances for the hosts before Nojeem Adeyinka registered MFM’s first shot on 68 minutes, which was easily saved by Darlington Ovunda, who had nothing to really do all game.
Rivers continued to pile on the pressure on their visitors, carving them open with regularity but failed to increase their lead despite having the opportunities to do so.
In the end, it was United who celebrate a win, their third successive win to stretch their mini winning streak to three matches.
With the victory, United, who began the day fourth on the log, moved one place to third on 21 points, while MFM is five points behind in eighth.
Rivers hosts Nasarawa United next, while MFM is also at home to in-form Dakka FC, who thrashed Adamawa United 4-1.
