It was with great joy and delight that Heartland FC ended their winless streak on Wednesday when they defeated Bendel Insurance at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri but they have another tie away to Gombe United today, Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 13 fixture which could be used to consolidate their new found form.
Heartland’s first win of the season had long been expected based on the hard work the players, coaches and other officials of the club have put in. It was a sigh of relief to the Naze Millionaires fans and supporters that what seemed like a jinx was eventually broken last mid-week.
As usual the reward for good work is more work. The Kennedy Boboye led side did not have enough time to soak in their maiden win of the season with another game awaiting them in Gombe today against Gombe United at the Pantami Stadium.
The fixture comes barely four days after the home win over the Benin Arsenals but the Owerri side will still have no excuse not to deliver with the expectations of fans more demanding than it used to be buoyed by the win over Bendel Insurance.
Even though some of the peculiar issues still persist among the playing staff, the introduction of Kennedy Boboye has proved to be a fantastic piece of business and with back to back clean sheets for the first time this season, Heartland FC fans can only pray for things to get better.
According to available verifiable stats, Gombe United hold a slight edge over Heartland FC in the head to head having won eight of these fixtures and drawing three of the previous 18 games that had been played. The Naze Millionaires have emerged victorious on seven occasions.
The Desert Savannah edged the Owerri side 3-2 the last time this fixture was played on June 1st, 2022. It was the fixture’s highest number of goals recorded in a game from the available stats from 2013.
Though Gombe United managed to pick a point (1-1) in their last trip to Owerri on 19th February, 2022, Heartland thrashed the same Desert Savannah 4-0 on the 31st March, 2013 in Owerri. It was the fixture’s highest number of goals scored by a team.
While Heartland have accumulated four points from their last two games with clean sheets, Gombe United have lost their last three matches including the 5-2 loss to Kano Pillars in Gombe last weekend. Mohammed Babaganaru and his men will no doubt be under tremendous pressure to win. They have been bad travellers with their poor away results too and have been struggling to win at home.
The game promises to be interesting and Heartland FC may hold the ace knowing that the fixture will be decided without the fans of the home team in the stands. The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) organisers, early last week had placed sanctions on Gombe United for the unruly behaviour of their fans during their last home game with Kano Pillars which they were beaten 5-2. Today’s game will be played behind closed doors.
It is still unclear what is hindering the Desert Savannah’s progress this season with players like Kazeem Yekeen, Frank Kappe, Emeka Isaac, Bashiru Monsuru, Amaechi Orji, Chijioke Alaekwe, Mattias Samuel, Abba Umar among others in the team. But Heartland FC can add to their misery with the club’s new found form charged up by the determination to leave the relegation zone.
Today’s game holds at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe by 3pm with Heartland eyeing another away point(s) to add to the ones they have got in Akure, Lagos, and Ibadan.
Gombe United vs Heartland FC Head to Head Results:
1-6-2022 Gombe United 3-2 Heartland
9-2-2022 Heartland 1-1 Gombe United
20-5-2019 Gombe United 1-0 Heartland
14-02-2019 Heartland 1-1 Gombe United
17-08-2014 Heartland 2-0 Gombe United
28-3-2014 Gombe United 2-1 Heartland
14-8-2013 Gombe United 1-0 Heartland
31-3-2013 Heartland 4-0 Gombe United
