Glo Premier League champions, Kano Pillars, finished their pre-season tour of Ghana with a 1-0 win over that country’s Under-23 national team in Accra today.
Only on Thursday, Kano Pillars were forced to a 2-2 draw by Hearts of Oak in a thrilling game which saw Christian Obiozor and Gambo Muhammed give the Nigerians a two-goal lead before the Accra club clawed back to even the score.
But today, Kano Pillars claimed a win to round off their tour of Ghana.
Kano Pillars coach named a strong squad that included captain and goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai, Reuben Ogbonnaya, Isaac Loute, Rabiu Ali as well as Gambo and Obiozor.
For Rabiu Ali, it was the second time in three months he would come face-to-face with Ghana’s Olympic team coached by a former Kano Pillars trainer, Malik Jabir. The first was when the Super Eagles featuring mostly players from the Glo Premier League defeated the Ghana Under-23 team 1-0 during the official opening of the Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo.
It was, however, Rabiu Ali, who scored the winning goal for Kano Pillars in the 63rd minute after Kwasi Quansah handled the ball in his area.
The Ghanaian defender was sent off for his offence and Rabiu Ali comfortably made the spot kick count by scoring to give Kano Pillars the lead.
The Kano-based club could not capitalise on their numerical advantage to score a second goal as the match ended 1-0.
Kano Pillars, who finished third at the Super-4 Invitational Tournament in Abuja recently, used the tour of Ghana to fine-tune their preparation for their first leg, preliminary round game against Al-Malakia FC of South Sudan. The match will hold in Juba on the weekend of February 13, 14 and 15 while the second leg will be on March 1.
Kano Pillars line-up: Theophilus Afelokhai; Samuel Tswanya, Isaac Loute, Reuben Ogbonnaya, Murtala Adamu; Eneji Otekpa, Tony Edjomariegwe, Ezekiel Mbah, Rabiu Ali; Christian Obiozor, Gambo Muhammed. [myad]
