Nigeria Leagues
Yoca Crocodiles silence Kaduna United in 2024 New Year Mega Lottery Nationwide League 1 opener
By Saheed Afolabi
In a thrilling opening fixture of the New Year Mega Lottery Nationwide League One, debutant Yoca Crocodiles secured a convincing 2-0 victory against Kaduna United at the main bowl of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.
The match kicked off with both teams displaying early attacking intent, with Kaduna United having the first two scoring opportunities within the first five minutes. However, a lack of composure in front of goal prevented them from taking the lead.
Yoca Crocodiles also had their chances, with Buhari Sani testing Kaduna United’s goalkeeper Gabriel Ojo in the seventh minute, only to be denied by a superb save.
As the first half progressed, Kaduna United’s Emerson Praise God came close to breaking the deadlock with a beautiful goal-bound effort, but his shot struck the crossbar, keeping the scores level going into halftime.
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The second half saw a turning point for Yoca Crocodiles when Aminu Ismail was replaced by Kabiru A. Muhammad in the 52nd minute. The pressure mounted on Kaduna United’s defense paid off in the 62nd minute when Obinna Jacob capitalized on Aliyu Sagau’s powerful cross to put Yoca Crocodiles in the lead.
Yoca Crocodiles extended their advantage in the 69th minute, with Lukman Ibrahim tapping in an empty net after Gabriel Ojo could only parry Sani Mohammad’s cross.
Despite Kaduna United’s efforts to halve the deficit in the closing stages of the match, they were unable to find the back of the net, with Alhassan Umar’s effort narrowly missing the target.
Speaking after the match, Yoca Crocodiles’ Coach Gambo Shanding praised his team’s resilience and tactical execution in the second half. He expressed confidence in his players’ ability to continue their positive momentum in the upcoming fixtures.
“I must commend my players’ doggedness and determination, especially in the second half,” Coach Shanding remarked. “We noticed the lapses in our opponent’s defense line and instructed the players accordingly. They executed our game plan brilliantly, resulting in two well-deserved goals. We have 11 days to prepare for our next match, and we will be ready for the challenge.”
