City Football Club of Abuja on Sunday beat visiting Yobe Desert Stars FC of Damaturu 1-0 in a 2021/2022 Nigeria National League (NNL) Match Day 12 fixture.

The match played at the Area 10 Sports Complex’s football pitch was a Group A1 Northern Conference fixture in the ongoing 2021/2022 NNL.

City FC were without league action last weekend due to their suspended match-day 11 encounter with Sokoto United.

They therefore first looked rusty against the visitors, with forwards Mujeeb Odufeso and Oscar Ezejiofor forwarder failing to score from close range after 14 minutes into the first half.

Odufeso also missed scoring from a freekick for City FC. He later scored in the added five minutes of the first half from close range.

Speaking later, the coach of Yobe Desert Stars, Enerst Jupiter, said his team was well prepared for the game but luck ran out.

“We thought our training hard and skills could help us to overwhelm City FC but luck ran out on us,” he said.

While noting that his team was not in a good position in the league, Jupiter however assured that they were going to make sure they maintained their position in the NNL.

Jupiter said he returned to the Yobe Desert Stars FC this season, remarking that they were already playing well as the season went by.

“I told the management clearly that I didn’t come to the team to give them promotion. I came to groom the team for next season’s league. We will maintain our position in the NNL and we will not get relegated. I wish those going to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) in the group best of luck,” he said.

Also, City FC’s director of sports, Moses Adams, said he was not pleased with his team’s performance after a dominant first half display where his players missed several scoring chances.

“It was not a good game because El Kanemi Warriors FC are topping the table with 25 points in our group, and with this win we have 24 points, just a points difference with them. We could have used this opportunity to get more goals, like three to four goals, in this match. But we ended with just a goal,” he stated. “We have the qualities and I don’t know what was wrong with the players. Definitely, we are not happy with the team’s performance. That’s just the truth.”

City FC’s win means they still maintain their second position on the table with 24 points, while Yobe Desert Stars stayed sixth with 17 points.

(NAN)