NPFL UPDATE: Koma Puts On Good Show In Rangers, ABS Thriller
It was a contest that ended with no victor, no vanquished between Rangers International and ABS FC in the second group stage of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Under-15 Promises at the Agege Stadium, Lagos but Million Koma wowed the handful of spectators as the game ended 3-3.
Koma netted a hat-trick for Rangers to take his total goals in the tournament to 11, five more than other players.
Proceedings commenced with ABS in early attack to earn a free kick by the edge of the box on seven minutes but it was cleared. Shortly after, Jamiu Olasoju broke into Rangers territory but pushed the ball way too much and was shielded off before he could pull the trigger just as Bello Sufian held on to the ball for too long but won a corner kick.
Oni Williams also powered a rebound in the 17th minute but it sailed slightly over bar but the ABS forward line kept probing until Olusegun Olakunle attempt from a Sufian pass gave the Ilorin club the lead.
Koma whose header in the ninth minute narrowly missed target however responded with a superb individual goal. He took the ball ran at the defence of ABS, dribbling past four players in sight before powering home, left-footed, to draw Rangers even in the 26th minute to send both teams level-pegging at the break.
Rangers returned from the break with a quick substitution which saw Olisa Chidiebere give way for Zakari Farouk to add zip to their attack but ABS responded well as Bello Sufian raised the bar by scoring within five minutes of the resumption to make it 2-1.
Koma again seized the moment, getting close twice but was intercepted on the first attempt while he shot over in front of goal on the second occasion.
His moment came in the 47th minute as he curled in a free kick to draw Rangers even at 2-2. He further gave Rangers a 3-2 lead which was his hat-trick shortly after, as he brilliantly tucked in from the penalty box after he had been wrestled down goalbound.
It victory looked like Rangers were heading for a win with little time left to play but ABS pulled all stops till the nick of time when Jamiu Olasoju pounced on a pass on the counter and hit hard to draw level.
Man-of-the-match Koma, an SS2 student of National Grammar School, Nike, Enugu, says the hat-trick is a possibility of making a great career in football.
Selected into the Rangers Feeder team from an open screening two months ago, he was at The Cathedral on the final matchday of last season when Rangers defeated El-Kanemi to lift the league trophy after 32 years.
A fan of Rangers International in the NPFL, Koma revealed that Rangers striker, Bobby Clement is his soccer hero.
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