The duo of Chinedu Efugh (Chicago) and Ikechukwu Ibenegbu (Anwunta) salvaged what many thought was an already lost three points in Calabar against Niger Tornadoes in the rescheduled week 3 NPL Match played in U.J Esueni Stadium Calabar on Wednesday the 21st of March 2012.
The visitors had taken an unlikely lead in the match from an own goal which was however credited to Etor Essien in the 73rd minute of the game.
But just like the Trojans they are, the FA Cup champions rallied round from behind to stake a hold in the race for a top finishing in the League if not wining it, by first leveling the score through their Captain fantastic Efugh, popularly called (Chicago) in the 83rd minute with a powerful header.
Just when every one was thinking that the visitors had secured an away draw, ‘Anwunta’ (mosquito) struck at the 88th minute of play as the lads from Minna could no longer sustain the tempo of stopping the foray of attacks Heartland were firing from all cylinders. He converted a well deserved penalty kick after Tornadoes defenders committed a free kick offence inside the penalty box.
With this result, Heartland now has 22 points in 15 matches in the Nigerian Premier League. The Team is billed to depart Calabar for Port Harcourt were they will board their plane to Cameroon on Thursday to take on Sc Nkam of Cameroon in the CAF Confederation Cup on Saturday the 24th 2012 (Time 3:30pm).
The return leg of that encounter will be in Owerri, in a fourth night.