Ughelli Rovers Football Club faced a tough 2-1 defeat against OYC FC in a thrilling New Year Mega Lottery Nationwide League One (NLO) Division One 2025 encounter at Asaba Centre 1 on Thursday. Despite a valiant effort, including playing with 10 men for the final 25 minutes, the Eguono V’Owvian Boys couldn’t overturn the deficit, marking our second consecutive loss in the campaign.
The match started with both teams vying for control, trading attacks in a fast-paced opening. Rovers showed intent early, nearly breaking the deadlock, but OYC’s resolute defense held firm.
We struck first in the 25th minute when Echanomi Godfrey headed home to give us a 1-0 lead. OYC responded just before halftime, with Julius Sunday leveling the score in the 42nd minute after a well-worked move.
The second half saw intense, end-to-end action, but the game’s turning point came in the 65th minute when Ovwhigorieta Favour was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Rovers fought bravely, only to be undone by Diri Gift’s 70th-minute strike, which proved to be the decisive goal.
OYC’s defense stood tall in the closing stages, securing all three points.
Assistant Coach Davidson Otega, standing in for Head Coach Ekete Nyerovwo, praised the team’s resilience: “We showed heart and determination, even with 10 men. The red card was a setback, but we created chances and stayed in the fight. We’ll regroup, learn from this, and come back stronger.”
With three points from three matches, we now turn our focus to our next fixture against Holy Arrows FC. A victory is crucial to reignite our campaign and keep our hopes alive for the 2025 NLO Zonal Playoffs.
