Faith Akindele
A spirited display from Dede Dare and all the boys proved decisive as the Elephants snatched their first point of the season in Kano.
The boys began to assert themselves early into the game and took the battle to the hosts, with half chances for the visitors. Iyanda was through on goal but was flagged offside in the 14th minute after a fine interchange of passes with Ihemekwele.
Dede Dare made himself big in the 27th minute to keep us in the game and three minutes later, Ihemekwele was adjudged offside after Iyanda set him up for goal.
Dare made two saves in five minutes as we walked back to the tunnel unscathed. Dede made double saves in the 50th minute to keep the boys locked in and the game was temporarily halted after a heavy wind.
The match was restarted despite the heavy wind. The wind changed the flight of the ball in the 60th minute but Dare got his hand to it again and the boys took the battle to the hosts, now moving for a goal as the hosts defended and held us off.
Dare made another big save twice in three minutes as the 10 minutes of additional time gradually wound down.
Iyanda Tobi almost snatched the winner for us late in the game after a blistering attack with the lively Wonah William but the hosts regrouped to deny us a late winner.
Next for the People’s Elephants is a home game against Shooting Stars on Wednesday.
