As Mfon Udoh sets new Nigeria League record

In-form Enyimba strik­er, Mfon Udoh, yester­day set a new record in the Nigeria League after scoring in his team’s 1-1 draw with Dolphins in a Week 37 Glo Pre­mier League match at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt even as Kano Pillars 4-0 thrashing of Nembe City has seen them emerging champions of the Nigerian football league.
The goal was his 21st in the season and, thus, erased the 20-goal record set by Jude Aneke three seasons ago.
Dolphins’ Emem Eduok, who was tied on 20 goals with Udoh before yester­day’s game made the first at­tempt at goal as early as the second minute but his shot missed the target by inches.
Desperate to set a new do­mestic league record, Eduok made several other attempts at goal but his shots were either off target or too weak to threaten Femi Thomas, in goal for Enyimba.
The first half was mainly a ding-dong affair for most of the first 45 minutes with too many stoppages.
Eduok missed a sitter in­side the six metre box three minutes to half time, when he simply needed to tap-in from a well-tailored pass from a teammate after Dol­phins caught Enyimba on the counter. Thomas made haste to block, as Eduok wasted time before attempt­ing to flick the ball past him.
On resumption of the sec­ond half, Dolphins took the game to Enyimba and al­most took the lead through Ebube Okpokwu, but his shot was parried and even­tually saved by a well-posi­tioned Thomas.
The home team finally took the lead in the 54th minute when Eduok con­nected Chidiebere Okoli, who fired from inside the box and the ball was de­flected into the net by Eny­imba’s defender.
Enyimba fought back gamely and precisely in the 65th minute, Mfon Udoh scored his 21st goal of the season to put the Aba Peoples’ Elephant on level terms. He freed himself from his marker and beat goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi with a clinical low header off a cross from the right flank.
Udoh almost got his 22nd goal three minutes later, but failed to make haste dur­ing a goal-mouth scramble. With yesterday’s result, the coast looks clear for Kano Pillars to win the league for the third season running, as Enyimba can best finish as runner-up, even if they beat Pillars on the last day of the season in Aba.

Kano Pillars win league again