By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja – Yankari Babes of Bauchi on Wednesday defeated Edo Queens of Benin 1-0 to move to the next level of play at the ongoing National Hockey League One in Abuja.
Helen Obialor scored the only goal of the match in the first half to give her team the victory.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yankari Babes and Delta Flickers are currently topping the score board with three points each, with the latter leading on goals difference.
NAN also reports that by virtue of the loss to Yankari Babes, Edo Queens have crashed out of the league, having lost their two matches.
Head coach of Yankari Babes, Yakubu Bako, said he was happy his team defeated the Edo Queens.
Bako said the win was the third time the Yankari Babes would defeat the Edo Queens in recent times.
“We have always defeated them. This is the third time we are meeting with them and we have always defeated them,’’ he said.
The coach assured that his team would also win when they face Delta Flickers on Thursday in the last match of the three-team women version of the league.
“We will do our best to beat them. Delta Flickers are a very technical team. But with God, we will defeat them,” he said.
On his part, the Head Coach of Edo, Ohiwere Sunday, said he was not happy with the officiating of the game with the Yankari Babes.
He alleged that there favouritism perpetrated by an official for the Yankari Babes.