Gombe United Football Club got more than they bargained for at the NPFL 24 encounter as the Ravaging Niger Tornadoes football club consolidated on their away result in midweek as they were pumped with five clean goals to nil.
Niger Tornadoes performed this feat with another thrilling victory over troubled and toothless Gombe United at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.
The Ikon Allah Boys began the onslaughts as early as the sixth minute on the clock when Clinton Jephta picked the ball and drove forward before unleashing a superb curling effort that sailed into the net to give his team the lead.
There was only a four minutes difference between the first and second goal as Adeyinka Najeem’s free kick met the legs of Chidiebere Ernest who took home from a close range to double the score and made it his second goal in two matches.
It was a two-nil lead into the break for Majin Mohammed’s team with a dominant first-half display as the visitors barely threatened.
Second-half proceedings commenced and the Ikon Allah Boys continued from where they left off and won a free kick on the edge of the box after a foul on Chidiebere Ernest. Mohammed Hussaini picked the ball and brilliantly curled it into the net to make it three goals with just five minutes into the second half.
Midway through the half, the Savannah Scorpions gained control of the game as they momentarily dictated the pace but fizzled out after just a while.
Much improved attacker Clinton Jephta continued to torment the visitors with his mesmerizing skills and pace as he proved too difficult to handle. Jephta was tripped in the box and the referee rightly awarded a penalty which Bashir Usman converted in the 76th minute, his first goal in the second round and seven overall this season.
In the closing stages of the game, just when the fans thought it was all over, Clinton Jephta’s magic resonated as he rifled a shot into the net to make it a historic 5-0 win for the Ikon Allah Boys, first in the club’s NPFL history.
In his reaction to the secret behind his team’s recent run of form, Coach Mohammed restored “First of all, We give glory to God for this feat. Well, the secret is just that, the boys are in good shape and are ready to go, then aside from that, motivation from the management and the support of Nigerlites, not forgetting the state government under the leadership of Governor Umar Mohammed Bago who have been of tremendous support to the team, that is what is moving the boys.”
“Well, as always, we take the games as they come. We will go back home and plan to see what we can get from Akwa United, definitely we are expecting a positive result.”
“The secret is hard work and prayers, that is just what I have to say, then the team generally has been of help to me; encouraging me, especially my coaches and teammates for their patience, waiting for me to get my goals and assists.
“To the fans, let’s keep the hope alive, we will do our best to keep this form and at least to finish among the top six teams in the league.
