Heartland FC endured a disappointing start to their 2026/27 Nigeria National League (NNL) campaign after surrendering a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 against Crown FC of Ogbomoso at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, on Sunday, November 1.

The Naze Millionaires looked set for a comfortable victory in their Conference A opening fixture after taking a commanding lead in the first half.

Ekenne Osuigwe opened the scoring for the hosts before Jonathan Osondo doubled their advantage, giving Heartland a 2-0 lead heading into the break.

However, the visitors returned from the interval with renewed determination and quickly turned the game around.

Osas Kelvin pulled one back for Crown FC, popularly known as the Ajilete Warriors, in the 52nd minute before Mustapha Olamilekan restored parity just two minutes later to make it 2-2.

The quick turnaround stunned the home supporters, while Heartland struggled to regain control of the encounter.

Despite pushing forward in search of a winning goal, the Owerri side could not break down Crown FC's resilient defence as the visitors held on to secure a valuable away point.

The draw represented a commendable result for Crown FC, who showed tremendous character despite the emotional loss of their team driver.

However, it was a disappointing outcome for Heartland and their coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, as the former Nigeria Premier Football League champions dropped two points after surrendering a two-goal cushion.

The Naze Millionaires will now turn their attention to Matchday Two, where they travel to Lagos to face Eko United, while Crown FC will host Edel FC as both teams continue their quest for a strong start to the new NNL season.