USULE, LAWAL ON TARGET AS ENYIMBA SHARE POINT WITH KATSINA UNITED

Enyimba Football Club started their defence of the Nigeria Professional Football League with a 1-1 draw against Katsina United at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.Katsina United Tasiu Lawal scored early penalty to put the home fans to jubilation but Martins Usule equalised in the last minute of the first half and split the points in a truly enthralling affair in northern Nigeria.Martins Usule found the net in the eleventh minute but his effort was rightfully rule out for offside, before Mustapha Aliko saved Reuben Bala’s long range freekick.Lawal and Destiny Ashadi were exciting to watch as they had good play causing scares to Enyimba.Ashadi’s strike from outside the box, seven minutes before the break, deflected dangerously on Adebayo and caught Afelokhai on the wrong foot, but narrowly sailed above target.Enyimba eventually found their equaliser in the last minute of the half when an interplay in midfield released Usule, who held strong against his marker to chip above Aliko into the net.United had a chance to regain their lead upon the restart but Usman Bara’u could only direct his close range effort wide after a goalmouth melee.Dare Olatunji came close to grabbing a late winner for Enyimba but the substitute failed to make good contact after Aliko misjudged Austin Oladapo’s corner kick.Ifeanyi Anaemena was sent off in the final minutes of the contest, but it counted for little as Enyimba held on for a their first NPFL point in Katsina.ENYIMBA’S LINEUPTheophilus AfelokhaiAndrew Abalogu, Ifeanyi Anaemena, Abiodun Adebayo, Daniel DarkwahEmeka Atuloma (Dare Olatunji 58′), Austin Oladapo, Dayo Ojo (Stephen Manyo 92′)Reuben Bala, Bashir Abdulrahaman (Samson Obi 64′), Martins UsuleUNUSED SUBSTITUTESOlufemi Kayode, Stanley Okorom, Cyril Olisema, Jean-Marie Guera