Abia Comets Football Club of Umuahia endured a disappointing start to their Nigerian National League campaign, falling 3-0 to Ekiti United Football Club at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Sunday.

The Umuahia-based team conceded all three goals within an eight-minute span in the first half, as Ekiti United asserted their dominance from the outset. The home side struck first in the fourth minute, leaving Comets goalkeeper Ogoke Kingsley with no chance to save the shot.

The floodgates opened for Ekiti United soon after, as Wadulu Ofoni and George Adedara found the back of the net within four minutes of each other, sending the hosts into a commanding 3-0 lead before halftime.

Abia Comets head coach Kevin Ejeh attempted to salvage the situation in the second half with a series of early substitutions, bringing on Douglas Bueka, Ebuka Lazarus, and Chibueze Lambert to replace Arinze Njoku, Hyacinth Olieh, and Ogoke Kingsley before the restart.

The changes positively impacted Abia Comets’ performance in the second half, as they enjoyed more possession and control of the game. However, their efforts proved futile in the end, as they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat, marking their first loss of the season.

Despite the setback, Abia Comets Media Officer Emmanuel Chinedu expressed optimism for the team’s future. He emphasized that the focus now shifts to their next game, a home match against Beyond Limits on Saturday, as they look to bounce back from their opening day loss and get their NNL campaign back on track.