NWFL: Naija Ratels surrender early advantage as Heartland snatch late draw

Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Naija Ratels’ bright start was undone by a spirited second-half comeback from Heartland Queens as both sides settled for a 2–2 draw in an entertaining NWFL Premiership encounter in Abuja.

The hosts looked in full control early on, racing into a two-goal lead within 22 minutes. Onu Markwell broke the deadlock in the 13th minute before Paulina Orshio doubled the advantage, sending the home fans into celebrations and putting Ratels on course for a comfortable victory.

However, the game turned after the break. Heartland Queens emerged with renewed belief and intensity, and their pressure eventually paid off. Emmanuella James pulled one back in the 71st minute, before Faith Samson completed the comeback eight minutes later to earn the visitors a hard-fought point.

Speaking after the game, Naija Ratels head coach Sabo Okala admitted disappointment but pointed to fatigue and squad limitations as decisive factors.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t see out the game. You could clearly see fatigue setting in, and the truth is I don’t have a full squad to rotate,” Okala said. “We are managing with about 15 players, and some are even playing through injuries. I’m not trying to make excuses, but it’s obvious.”

‘These are young girls we are building into new team’

The Ratels coach also revealed that off-field challenges have affected his recruitment plans this season.

“I didn’t get the full complement of players I hoped for. Some signings couldn’t happen due to factors beyond football, and it has affected our depth,” he explained. “These are young girls we are building into a new team. Inexperience will show at times, but I’m confident they will grow.”

Okala reserved special praise for goalkeeper Vincent Massey, whom he believes has been a key presence in a youthful side.

“Experience was very important for us, which is why we brought her in. She has not disappointed. Most of the goals we’ve conceded are down to inexperience, not her.”

Despite dropping points, the Ratels boss urged supporters to remain patient.

“The fans should remain hopeful. The group is still very open. We’ve taken four points so far, and we’ll keep pushing.”

On the other side, Heartland Queens technical adviser Regan Obi Ogbala was delighted with his team’s resilience after going two goals down.

“Every match is winnable. After conceding two goals, I told the girls in the dressing room that we could still do better — and they believed.”

He credited a strong halftime talk for the turnaround: “I told them if you want to be champions, you have to play like champions. Naija Ratels are not a pushover, so we had to raise our level — and it paid off.”

While Heartland had hoped for maximum points, Obi Ogbala accepted the draw as a positive outcome.

“We came here to win, but coming back from two goals down to get a point is a plus. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. This is our third game, we have four points, and we are still on course.”

The result keeps the NWFL Premiership finely balanced, with both Naija Ratels and Heartland Queens remaining firmly in contention as the season gathers momentum.

NWFL Premiership Results

Naija Ratels 2–2 Heartland Queens

Delta Queens 3–1 Confluence Queens

Dannaz Ladies 1–5 Robo Queens

Edo Queens 2–0 Adamawa Queens

Rivers Angels 1–0 Ibom Angels

Bayelsa Queens 2–0 Pacesetters Queens

Nasarawa Amazons 0–0 Abia Angels

Ahudiyannem Queens 0–0 Sunshine Queens

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