Monday Gift made the difference as Naija Ratels football club of Abuja were handed their heaviest defeat all season at the ongoing Nigeria Women Football League super six by Bayelsa Queens.
The “Restoration Girls” left no time to be wasted as they set the pace of the game at the blast of the whistle, taking control of the possession and brewed with confidence on the ball with breathtaking attacks.
Their dominance in the first ten minutes of the game was rewarded soon after. Monday Gift on the right-wing received a pass from the middle of the pack and cuts into her strong foot to release a curled shot into the far top corner of the goal, beating Doris Ohia who should have done better with the save.
The goal raised the morale of Bayelsa Queens and they kept pressing hard, knocking for the second goal with proper domination of possession in the midfield and spreading balls to both ends of the field, just like a soaring eagle.
Naija Ratels held their ground and gained momentum moments later with an opportunity missed to level the game. Bayelsa Queens, obviously superior to their opponents gained control of the game again and pressed for the security goal. They had the chance to in the 33rd minute through a free-kick after a Ratel player had handled the ball close to the 18-yard box, but Ratels held firm to block Joy Bokiri’s effort for safety.
Seven minutes later, Monday Gift doubled her team’s lead, her second for the day and third for the tournament. The Super Falcons rose above the poorly set up Ratels defence to nod home Glory Edet’s free-kick and joyously away, she celebrate.
Bayelsa picked up where they left the first half with incessant attacks from the resumption of the second half. A quick corner in three minutes was cleared for safety by Ratels defence, but Bayelsa Queens kept pushing.
Just a minute before the hour mark, Bayelsa Queens took the game beyond the reach of their opponents with the third goal in the 59th minute. Sensational Etim Edidiong made no mistake in burying a lob in from Joy Bokiri, to record her first for the tournament.
Monday Gift on Tuesday recorded the first hat-trick of the tournament in the 62nd minute to seal up the game with a cool curl in.
The rest of the match was mere training for Bayelsa Queens as they kept the ball in the middle for much of the time. Two wins and six goals for Bayelsa Queens see them sit atop of the group with six points.
Post-match reactions
Monday Gift on her hattrick: “Words can’t express how very happy I am today, I give all glory to God.”
“With the right training, with the right coaching, with the right teammates, I think everything goes easy.”
Chances of winning the golden boot, she replied “If it comes I will gladfully grab it. ”
Naija Ratels assistant Coach, Ugochi Anyawu on her reaction to the game. ” Football is a game of win, draw or lose, out of this three that’s what you get from football and any of this does not say that you cannot get the rest. It’s football, it can happen tomorrow, I can get my four-nil victory, against any other team, there’s nothing wrong and nothing spoiled.”
“The result does not disturb, we are going to the drawing board make some corrections and come out strong in our next matches”
When asked if yesterday’s situation affected performance, she said “Not 100 percent, a little bit but we are not going to rely on that we don’t have to use it as an excuse, we are in for the competition.”
“If we can get our three wins, we have hope”
For Bayelsa Queens’ manager, Moses Adukwu, When asked about the game.
“We thank God for the second win, it was not an easy match, Naija Ratels are not pushovers, we created chances and we took them, all glory to God.”
When asked if it was an easy game
“Not at all, don’t look at the goals because we created chances, Naija Ratels are quick, they are good in the midfield, but when we got our chances we took them. ”
When asked about winning Super Six, “The games are just starting, we are looking forward to the third game. It is not clear yet, we are still going back to look at our mistakes and getting ready for the third game.”
When asked about Zambian International signed on loan performance; “She had a few times to express herself, but if you see her touches, she is not a bad player, but she is yet to adapt to our system and even the country.’