NWFL Oriental Derby: Heartland Queens outclass Abia Angels in five goals thriller
Heartland Queens made a light work of the much hyped Oriental derby against next door neighbors, Abia Angels with a 4-1 brutal demolition.
The derby is NWFL Premiership matchday 11 reverse fixture clash at the main bowl of Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Wednesday.
The game was rightly tagged for good reasons ‘vexed’ or ‘revenge’ but it was not to be after all as the Owerri mainstreams did not allow the visitors minutes to settle down in the game before the goal rush commenced.
The 4-1 victory ensured that the Owerri landladies achieved the avowed double over the sister’s side whom they had early beaten 2-1 in the first term fixture clash in Aba.
Just five minutes into the start of the game, bullish attacker, Chinedu Chinaka was already hitting the opponents’ back net with a stunning grounder that belittled the Aba side shot stopper, Uju Ngwu. Mary Lucky provided the assist.
The rousing greetings that heralded the stunner hardly died down before in-form and on the field captain, Chimebere Opara doubled the lead in the 9th minute with assist coming from Chinaka.
It was the tormentor-in-chief herself, Mary Lucky, who practically covered the pitch to ink her name on the scorer chart that scored the third goal off a free kick from about 28 metres that got the Aba side goalie, Ngwu bemused.
The Owerri side went into the break on three goals advantage. The Aba outfits were outclassed and outmatched in the half but they were not cowed as they fought to make the game a derby.
On restart, rampaging finisher who few minutes ago missed a simple tap in and who appeared to have had her best game ever redeemed herself with a resultant free kick following a foul on Mary Lucky to seal a brace for herself in the 57th minute. Lucky was sore to have missed a one on one with the Abia Angels’ goalie, Ngwu.
Substitute, Tessy Biahwo scored a consolation for her side in the 70th minute, at least, to make the game look like a contest.
Abia Angels made four changes to further put bites on the attack but it turned out to be their coaches that got the negatives. Head coach, Ben Nwoke saw yellow for being unruly to the match officials while his assistant got yellow turned red for dissent.
Heartland Queens pulled out Onyinyechi Kalu for Yetunde Anyantosho aimed at pushing for more goals. And few minutes later, made instant four changes. The quartet, Amaechi Duru, Mary Okorie, Blessing Ekpo and Nnenna Williams were thrown into the fray while out the foursome, Chinyere Iheoma, Oluchi Okwara, Mary Lucky and Kelechi Orgii but the changes yielded no further goal as the Owerri side went home to savour the sweet feast.
The derby win ensure that Heartland Queens stay atop of the eight-team Group A log on 21 points one above closest challengers, Nasarawa Amazons.
