Damilare Babatunde’s last-minute header secured a crucial point for Gateway United against Osun United at Osogbo Township Stadium in Osun State.
In a rescheduled game, Coach Samson Omiponle made three changes, with Joshua Oladeji, Samuel Ovenseri, and Gbenga Benedict joining the lineup.
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The hosts initiated the first attempt within a minute, but the defense, marshaled by Adekunle Adeniyi and Okafor Ugochukwu, promptly cleared the danger. Subsequently, Gateway United took control, and Gbenga Benedict’s long-range effort narrowly missed the target.
The remainder of the half was tightly contested, leading to a stalemate at halftime.
Seeking to bolster the attack, Coach Omiponle introduced four substitutions 15 minutes into the other half, bringing in Lanre Ferinyaro, Taofeek Babatunde, Sunkanmi Odusina, and Damilare Babatunde.
However, Osun United took the lead in the 76th minute when Paul Agbor slotted in a loose ball from a free kick.
Undeterred, Omiponle’s side intensified their attack, eventually paying off as Damilare Babatunde nodded in a flick-on from Taofeek Babatunde.
The provider Babatunde Taofeek nearly turned scorer, coming close to giving Gateway United the lead by capitalizing on a miskick from Paul Agbor. He navigated the box, but his low effort was blocked. In the final moments, Gateway United secured a valuable point, marking their first on the road in two away games.
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Up next for Gateway United is its first home game of the season against the Giant Brillars on Saturday, December 9, 2023.
Coach Omiponle lauded the spirited performance and promised more positive results.
“I’m quite excited with the result. We planned for a win but got a draw. It’s the start of more positive results. Promptly, I have shifted our focus to our first home game on Saturday. We want to win and win well. We want the fans to know that their darling team will leave no stone unturned,” he concluded.
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