MFM snatch deserved point at Dakkada

Tenim Adebayo scored his first Nigeria Professional Football League goal of the season to secure MFM a well-deserved draw at Dakkada.
The hosts — who took the lead through Solomon Chigozie’s second goal of the season —  looked on course to securing their second straight home win as the game entered the final 15 minutes, but Adebayo beat Thomas Omokhudu with a stunning finish to salvage a point for Olukoya Boys.
In the early stages, the hosts — despite going into the fixture on the back of a 1-0 win at FC Ifeanyi Ubah — were uninspiring, allowing the visitors dictate the tempo.
Though the visitors controlled much of the opening 45 minutes, they lacked creativity in the final third and conceded just before the interval.
In the 20th minute, they had a penalty claim turned down — after a Dakkada player appeared to handle the ball.
Dakkada then went close to breaking the deadlock, with Christian Ekong flashing a shot wide of the far post.
Almost immediately after Ekong’s attempt, there was a scare at the other end. Muyiwa Balogun tried his luck from distance, but his effort sailed just wide.
Dakkada stepped up their game in the final minutes of the half, and that paid off.
Just before the half-time whistle, Kokote Udo latched on to Aniekan Ekpe’s long ball at the far side, and then picked out Solomon Chigozie, who took a touch before firing into the roof of the net from just outside the box.
Not long before Chigozie’s stunning opener,, Dakkada had two big moments: Unwana Asuquo saw his header come back off the crossbar and goalkeeper Adeniyi Bamidele produced a brilliant reflex save to stop Ubong Williams’ deflected strike from rolling over the line.
A few minutes after the break, Ekong failed to make the most of an opportunity. The former Akwa United man latched on to a miscued clearance, but failed to score from close range.
On the hour mark, Omokhudu spilled a powerful shot but his defence came to his rescue.
And with 13 minutes left to play, substitute Adebayo produced a moment of magic to get MFM back on level terms.
When fellow substitute Akanni Elijah sent the ball to Adebayo, it looked like the forward was going to controll the ball and wait for his team-mates to arrive.
But to the surprise of many, he fired a first-time shot into the bottom corner from distance.
And, Tony Bolus’ side held on to secure a point against the Uyo side, who are still unbeaten.
Elsewhere, Nasarawa United drew goalless with Adamawa United and Wikki Tourists halted Rivers United’s three-game winning run by beating the Port Harcourt side 1-0 in Bauchi.
Had Dakkada held on to their lead, it means they would have moved to the top of the table.