Goals from Joy Bokiri and Monday Gift was all that Bayelsa Queens needed to win the opening game of the Nigeria Women Football League Super 6 against defending champions Rivers Angels at the University of Benin Sports Complex.
The Port Harcourt based side came out all guns blazing in the opening minutes of the encounter but was unable to score due to the heroics of Bayelsa Queens goalkeeper Bawou Ange Gabriell, who commanded her penalty area perfectly.
The first goal of the competition came against the run of play and was scored by Joy Bokiri on the 33rd minutes off a long throw from Edet Glory which was earlier missed by Tosin of Rivers Angels to hand Bayelsa Queens the lead.
Bayelsa Queens came out the better side in the second half and was almost rewarded for it when Monday Gift was put through on Goal but ended up getting her shot off target.
Substitute Chinyere Igboamalu missed two golden chances to wrap up the game for Queens but was made to pay when Rivers Angels Rofiat Imuran curled in a freekick from 35 yards to beat Bawou Gabrielle to make it 1-1 on the 76th minutes.
Rivers Angels bouy by their equalizer piled up more pressure to get the winner but the Prosperity Girls hung on.
And just when all thought the game would be ending in a draw, despite Miracle Joseph’s red card in the 87th minutes from a double yellow card, Bayelsa Queens got the winner when Monday Gift beats the offside track from Edet Glory’s pass to go through on goal to make it 2-1 for Bayelsa Queens in the 91st minute, much to the excitement of the Bayelsa Queens supporters.
Bayelsa Queens held on to claim a vital victory against a team that thrashed them 4-0 in the last Super 6 competition in Ijebu Ode.
Bayelsa Queens will take on Naija Ratels tomorrow at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium while Rivers Angels will be hoping to bounce back against Delta Queens at the same venue.
