Ubong Friday edge Obaje, Ammeh to win first VAT Wonder Goal award

Ubong Friday’s long range strike for Akwa United against ABS on Matchday 21 was the toast of voters in the VAT Wonder Goal poll conducted from Thursday, June 1 to Sunday, June 4.

The Akwa United forward's goal shook off a stiff competition from that of Godwin Obaje of FC Ifeanyiubah, the popular choice for voters on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Twitter poll.

 

While 47 percent of the voters on the Twitter platform preferred Obaje’s goal in FC Ifeanyiubah’s defeat of Kano Pillars, Ubong secured 41 percent of the votes cast and Wilfred Ammeh of Niger Tornadoes had the remaining 12 percent.

However, a whopping 81.1 percent of the voters on the NPFL website (www.npfl.ng) favoured Ubong’s goal, Obaje had 12.4 percent of the voters while Ammeh had 6.5 percent.

A total of 337 voters participated through the NPFL Twitter handle while 635 voted on the website poll. The three goals were shortlisted from a total of 23 scored on the matchday.

Obaje was the league’s leading scorer last season. Last season’s top scorer has scored nine league goals since joining FC Ifeanyiubah in a near deadline transfer at the start of the season.

Ubong’s goal shook the top end of the net and has been described as an effort in bravery and confidence. He had seized the opportunity of his side’s sustained raid on the stubborn ABS defence, to caress the ball, setting it up for a thunderous rising right-footed attempt from over 30 metres that threw high the back end of the roof of the net.

For the player, the award will surely be a fillip to continue his rediscovery after being plagued by injury that sidelined him for most of the first stanza of the season.

The winner will receive N150, 000 half of which he is expected to contribute to a charity of his choice within the city where the club is based.

The VAT Wonder Goal Award is supported by the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) which is collaborating with the LMC to use matches of the NPFL to create awareness for the importance of regular tax payment by citizens.