Players of Bayelsa United had to endure an agonizingly long evening until the dying seconds of their Match Day 25 encounter against Nasarawa United to score a dramatic goal for both teams to share the spoils.
Playing at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, Bayelsa United failed to take control of the game, allowing the visitors to go ahead on two occasions before struggling to come from behind to even the scores in the last minute of added time.
Some of the supporters of Bayelsa United had even left the stadium in disappointment before the Coach Ladan Bosso-tutored lads rallied to salvage a point.
The visitors got off to a blistering start as they stunned Bayelsa United with a goal by Idriss Ajayi in the very first minute of the game.
In the 7th minute of play, Bayelsa United had a good opportunity of drawing level but Nasarawa United keeper, Detan Ogundare pulled a world-class save, parrying Yusuf's close range header into touch for a corner kick. In the 11th minute Bayelsa United keeper, Elkanah stopped the visitors from increasing the lead when he made a crucial save.
Yusuf again had a beautiful chance of restoring parity but was denied by Ogundare, who threw his body on the line for yet another save.
Desperate for an equalizer, the home side piled pressure on the visitors and making sporadic incursions but it was Rabiu Abdullahi who rose to the occasion by levelling the scores in the 37th minute.
Bayelsa United dominated proceedings for a while, even had the opportunity of taking the lead after their equalizer but could not make their dominance count as they failed to convert their chances.
The home side were punished for failing to make hay as Nasarawa United took the lead again in the dying seconds of added time of the first stanza, when Idriss Ajayi's brace made it 1-2.
Bayelsa United would have conceded a third goal in the 53rd minute of play but Ogundare Arise saved the day when he headed out right on the touch line, with Elkanah clearly beaten.
Both sides fought spiritedly with the visitors hoping to increase their lead while Bayelsa United sought to equalise. The home side made some substitutions but all to no avail until the dying seconds of added time when their persistence finally paid off and they equalized through Ogba Ifeanyi.
Speaking after the match, coach of Nasarawa United, Baruwa Olatunji Abideen said a momentary loss of concentration denied them the full three points.
According to him, "I think lack of concentration cost us the equalizer. Had it been my lads responded very well, we wouldn't have conceded the equalizer. My boys were just watching because they thought there was an offside in the build-up to the goal but that is for the referee to decide. As a player, your duty is to play to the whistle. But we learn from that".
On his part, coach of Bayelsa United, Ladan Bosso said it was not the result he expected, pointing out that they will go back to the drawing board. Hear him: "This was not the result we wanted. We need to look at the areas we need to build on and work on them. We have to go back to the drawing board and work on the psyche of the players".
Bayelsa United occupy 15th position on the log with 30 points from 25 matches.
