Nasarawa United were condemned to a dramatic 3-2 defeat by Heartland FC in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match on Sunday evening at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri. The match, part of the 2024/25 season’s Matchday 15, saw the Solid Miners surrender a 1-2 lead late in the game, leaving them to rue a costly loss.
Heartland FC took an early lead in the 15th minute, with Promise Anyanwu finding the back of the net to give the home side a 1-0 advantage. However, Nasarawa United responded just before the break, with Anas Yusuf curling in a stunning left-footed strike to level the scores 1-1 at the 45th-minute mark.
The visitors seemed to have seized control of the game when substitute Garba Abubakar scored a crucial goal in the 85th minute, putting Nasarawa United ahead 2-1. It looked as though the Solid Miners were set to secure their first win in several matches, but Heartland had other plans.
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In a stunning turn of events, Heartland responded in the final minutes of play. Suraj Lawal equalized in the 88th minute, and just when it seemed a draw was inevitable, Christian Moloku delivered the knockout blow with a goal in the third minute of additional time, handing the hosts a dramatic 3-2 win.
For Nasarawa United, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, leaving them at the bottom of the NPFL table. The loss compounds the struggles of Coach Kabir Dogo’s side, who will now need to regroup and refocus ahead of their upcoming North-Central derby.
Nasarawa United will face Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi at the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday, December 8, 2024, at 4:00 PM, with the hope of bouncing back from their heartbreaking loss.
