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Paulinus Okon Brace Fires Akwa United Four Points Clear In NNL Conference B
Akwa United F.C. strengthened their grip at the top of the NNL Conference B table with a commanding 2-0 victory over First Bank FC on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Uyo Township Stadium.
The win completed a season double for the Promise Keepers, who had earlier secured a 3-1 away triumph in Lagos, and moved them four points clear at the summit after 12 matches.
Akwa United began brightly, nearly taking the lead in the fifth minute when Emmanuel Charles controlled brilliantly inside the box, only to see his low drive saved by the visiting goalkeeper. Five minutes later, Nsikak Raphael tried his luck from distance, but his effort was blocked by a First Bank defender.
Paulinus Okon was at the heart of several attacking moves in the first half, linking up effectively with Daniel Gothom and Aniebiet Sunday. Despite their dominance, the breakthrough proved elusive before the interval. Charles came closest in stoppage time, narrowly missing the target as the first half ended goalless.
The hosts returned from the break with renewed intensity. After early chances for Aniebiet Sunday and Emmanuel Charles, the decisive moment arrived in the 63rd minute. Yannick Menegbe delivered an inviting cross into the area, and Okon met it with a perfectly timed diving header to open the scoring.
Okon doubled the advantage in the 75th minute to complete his brace and take his season tally to four goals. He nearly grabbed a hat-trick with a long-range effort that sailed just wide.
The victory marked Akwa United’s eighth of the campaign as they continue their push for promotion to the NPFL. Attention now shifts to Matchday 13, where they will travel to face Osun United F.C..
Speaking after the match, head coach Paul Offor expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance and development.
“I am happy with the progress that we are making. I am happy that today was not a late winner or a one goal win. So we are making progress. We are also developing how to break down these oppositions when they come and sit back to defend. You see what we did in the second half, we were able to open them up, create more spaces in between and be able to get the goal.”
Looking ahead to the promotion race, Offor emphasized the importance of maintaining focus.
“From this point forward, every game we play is a final for us. We will try as much as possible to approach every game with this mentality. If we want to promote we have to ensure that at the end of every matchday we are on top of the league table.”
Offor reserved special praise for two-goal hero Paulinus Okon.
“Paulinus is a brilliant player. Kudos to him that even with the brilliance on the ball, he still has energy to help us cover grounds. We are very happy with his performance this season. Everytime he is on the field we are sure that something is going to happen and that is why we try to leave him on the field for as long as possible. I am not surprised with his performance because as a First Class graduate, for you to make First Class that means you are hardworking and he shows that on the field.”
Okon was named Man of the Match and received his award from Ibom Air officials at full time.
On the absence of striker Michael Okenwa, Offor confirmed the forward was granted leave to attend his mother’s funeral and is expected back with the squad on Monday.
The coach also acknowledged the supporters’ role in the team’s strong home form.
“We love them. We put in our best to perform well for them, that’s why we are here. We encourage them to always come out to push us so we can achieve this target together.”
With momentum firmly on their side, Akwa United will look to maintain top spot when they face Osun United in their next outing as the race for promotion intensifies.
