Akwa United win big in friendly matches

Akwa United took their preparation for the restart of the league to another dimension after they scored 14 goals from two friendly matches played on Thursday and Friday in Uyo.

The Promise Keepers were goal-shy when they participated in a mid-season tournament held in Uyo recently where they laboured to record three points from three matches against lower league teams of Ibom Youths, Akwa Starlets, and Cofine FC.

Abdu Maikaba’s men didn’t show any sign of that when they pummelled Palm Syrup of Ikot Ekpene 8-2 on Thursday with Ifeanyi Ede (2), Victor Mbaoma (2), Godspower Igudia, Chigozie Chilekwu and Ezekiel Bassey accounting for the goals.

They were equally vicious on Friday morning at the practice pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium when they annihilated Ajagun Football Academy of Port Harcourt 6-0 in another friendly duel.

Boniface Matthew and Paul Obata scored two goals apiece while Barnabas Imenger and Ubong Friday netted the other goals to send the academy financed by former U20 international, Abdulrasheed Ajagun back to Port Harcourt empty-handed.

Akwa United Assistant Coach, Aliyu Zubairu said that the players have now fully regained match fitness and that they are looking forward to the continuation of the league.

He stressed that the players have shown him that they are ready for Kwara United, their next opponents and others in the top flight and that winning the league title for Akwa Ibom State is their biggest motivation.

“The two games were just part of the friendly matches we organized to keep the players ready and they have shown through the way they played them that they are poised for the continuation of the season,” Zubairu told Goal.

“The problem we had during the tournament we took part in Uyo was that we were just resuming from the World Cup break and had only trained for a few days. The players were not fully fit and they couldn’t play up to expectations. We know we are not yet there but the boys have shown that they are ready to fight.

“It will be historic to secure the first league title for Akwa Ibom State and we are going to try our best to be the group that will achieve that. The players are ready and willing and they have assured us that they will give us an inkling of it when they face Kwara United in Ilorin and in the remaining matches of the season.”

Akwa United are second in the league table with 41 points from 24 games.