By Olalekan Marvellous
Emergence FC shocked Paulo Santini FC 2-1 in their zik hall league clash on August 3, 2024, at the Zik Hall Maracana.
It was an encounter worth anticipating as santini FC aimed to continue their winning streak against a sotomee coached side thirsty for their first three points.
The game started with santini's boys the usual suspects dictating play and displaying dominance with their hold up play. There was an opening in the emergence defence which Caleb pounced on a loosed ball but his strike was harmlessly behind.
Still Very early in the first half the deadlock was broken, courtesy of Caleb the attacker who has been on goal scoring spree , adding to his tally to make it 1-0. Akuna coached side were not done with their offensive display after kester on a solo run , sprinting from the right wing but his effort was blocked by Samson adetunji(natty) who has been solid defensively.
Towards the end of the first half, natty was played through on goal but his bullet hit was punched over the bar by soso the goalie who hasn't really been put to the test.
The tempo changed in the second half as emergence came out swinging. Coach Sotomee unleashed the full force of his assailant, "Wisdom". The substitution was successful because Wideman tackles Caleb, launches a lethal dash, and curls in a cross to the back post. As the ball slid past the upright and into the back of the net, leveling the score, the goalie was taken off guard. Emergence increased their offensive intensity and seized on the motivation.
Wisdom, who had an instant influence on the game, whips in a devastating cross halfway through the half, but Ajibola misses. Coach Sotomee appeared to have added additional firepower from the bench, so the emergent was not over. To strengthen the defense, Santini FC coach Acuna incorporated Jay, the center back, onto the back line.
After a quick counterattack, Wisdom doubled his score by grabbing the ball, circling the goalkeeperder to throw him into no man's land, and then poking the finish to put Emergence ahead.
Santini's boys probed heavily for an equaliser but sotomee coached side proved to be defensively solid with Samson adetunji ( natty) blocking major threats and coordinating his backline, it was an all out defense as they shot out the opposition.
Late in the game kester pounced on an opening from midfield but he ballooned his effort wide.The game ended, big win for emergence .The way the tides turned was surprising because emergence were the underdogs who recorded the first major upset sending chills down the league's table
Kester seized on a midfield space late in the game but he ballooned his effort wide. .The game was over, and Emergence had won big.The unexpected turn of events occurred when the underdogs emerged and pulled off the league's first big upset, sending shivers down the spine of the league table.
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