Plateau United halted Shooting Stars’ six-match unbeaten streak in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) with a 1-1 draw at the New Stadium, Zaria Road on Sunday.
Plateau United were in dire need of a turnaround in their fortunes as they headed into the match, having endured a torrid run of form that had yielded just one win from their last six outings. The team’s struggles had raised concerns among their faithful supporters, who were eagerly awaiting a reversal of their fortunes.
On the flip side, Shooting Stars entered the contest as the league’s most in-form team, having strung together six consecutive victories that had propelled them to the second spot in the league standings. Their remarkable winning streak had instilled a sense of swagger and self-assurance within the team, and they were keen to extend their dominance and close the gap on league leaders, Remo stars.
The opening 45 minutes of the match proved to be a dull encounter, with neither team able to capitalize on the scoring opportunities that came their way. As a result, the first half drew to a close with the scoreboard remaining blank and the teams locked in a goalless stalemate.
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The match burst into life in the second half, with Kabiru Tijani breaking the deadlock in the 74th minute to hand Shooting Stars a hard-fought lead. But their advantage was short-lived, as Plateau United swiftly restored parity through Albert Hilary’s equalizing goal, which came in the 76th minute, just shy of two minutes after Tijani’s opener.
Despite both teams making tactical substitutions in an attempt to gain a decisive advantage and snatch the victory, the match ultimately ended in a stalemate, with neither side able to find a winning goal, and the final scoreline remaining 1-1.
The draw brought Shooting Stars’ six-match winning streak to a halt, but they retained their second-place position in the standings with 37 points from 21 matches, albeit eight points adrift of league leaders Remo Stars.
On the other hand, Plateau United’s draw enabled them to cling to a position just above the relegation zone, with 24 points from 22 matches, a slender two-point cushion over Bendel Insurance, who occupy the 17th spot.
In another highly-anticipated NPFL fixture on Sunday, Kano Pillars’ quest for a much-needed win was foiled as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Bayelsa United. This result comes after Kano Pillars’ humiliating 4-1 loss to Ikorodu United, which made a win imperative for them.
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