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Osun United and Gateway FC have settled for a point apiece after their match-day 17 encounter on Saturday, June 18. Both sides in the Nigerian National League (NNL) fixture sides locked horns from the start till the final whistle was blown.
Played at the Obafemi Awolowo University Sports Complex, Ile-Ife, the game kicked off with the home side seizing the initiative to dominate their opponents. But the Gateway FC’s defence stood firm. The visitors did not pose any goal threat against the host throughout the first half. It ended in a deadlock for goals while players from both teams suffered some injuries.
The second half started just like the first. The home side piled up pressure on their opponents in search of goals but all to no avail. The match was almost turned on its head when Gateway FC nearly found the opener but the assistant referee spared Osun United’s blushes as he raised his flag for an offside foul.
The visiting Gateway FC is now well-placed on the table. They are only two points behind the league leader, Bendel Insurance FC which has 34 points. The Abeokuta boys have 33 points. They could have temporarily unseated Bendel Insurance atop the Group B1 league table if they had won. A win for Osun United FC would have pushed them from the tenth to the seventh place on the table. With 20 points, they are in the relegation dogfight alongside Campos FC (15 points) and J’Atete FC (17 points),
Both coaches were not available for comments as of press time. Also, fans were quick to besiege the football pitch to express their displeasure at the outcome. Gateway FC players, and staff as well as match officials were trapped on the pitch for a while.