Kano Pillars Football Club on Sunday defeated visiting Heartland FC of Owerri 2-1 in one of the match day 19 fixtures of the Nigerian Professional Football League. 

The match was played behind closed doors at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, following sanctions including a N12 million fine imposed on the Pillars by the League Management Company. 

This was as a result of encroachment by some of Kano Pillars supporters into the pitch which caused a delay in the live coverage of their home game against Plateau United in a match day 17 encounter.

Kano Pillars midfielder, Suleiman Idris, scored in the 47th minute, while Rabiu Ali doubled the lead when he converted a penalty in the 85th minute.

Clement Ogbobe scored a consolation goal for the visitors in the added time through a well taken free kick.

Sunday’s result ensured Pillars finished the first stanza of the league in the fifth position with 32 points from 19 games and would play their next game against Heartland FC after the break.

After the game, Heartland Coach, Chris Obi, said that the match was tough, noting that players of both teams gave a good account of themselves.

Mr Obi explained that Pillars’ determination to win the game at home paid off, as his team would go back and prepare for the second stanza of the league.

He said that would continue to work on the players to improve the club’s performance. 

“The league is still open and Heartland is not a write-off; no one is sure of winning the league. We are going to improve in the remaining 19 matches to ensure we finish well,” he said.

On his part, the Assistant Coach of Kano Pillars, Abubakar Musa, expressed satisfaction with his players’ performance throughout the encounter.

“We knew it was going to be a tough match, so we trained hard and it paid off,” Musa said.

He said the victory would boost his team’s morale towards making a great impact in the second phase of the league. 

(NAN)