Adamu Hassan scored the winner yesterday as Nasarawa United defeated Rivers United 1-0 in a rescheduled Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) game in Lafia.
Nzube Anaezemba was largely culpable for the goal as his under-hit pass in midfield in the 17th minute was pounced upon by Thomas Zenke, who proceeded to deliver a defence-splitting pass to Hassan, who slipped the ball past Sunday Rotimi in goal for Rivers United.
The visitors rarely threatened in a first half dominated by the hosts and were lucky not to have conceded more before the interval.
Hassan thought he had doubled his side’s lead on the half hour after rounding Rotimi and playing emphatically into an empty net, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Nasarawa United continued to dominate after the break and almost doubled their lead on the hour, but Hassan was denied by an extraordinary block by Rotimi.
Rivers United had their moments in the second half too, most notably when Nzube Anaezemba, Emeka Ogbugh and Bolaji Sakin came close to equalising, but the hosts that looked more assured and enjoyed the better openings.
The hosts held on for a deserved win in the end as Rivers United suffered their second consecutive defeat in as many NPFL games.