FEDERATION CUP
A Federation Cup ‘final-before-final’ duel holds in Uyo today
What could have been a dream Federation Cup final match holds today as a Round of 64 duel as record eight-time Nigerian league champions, Enyimba take on reigning champions, Rivers United at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.
This is just one of the 32 matches of the national cup slated for today. In essence, one of the lead and glamorous Nigerian clubs must be eliminated.
That is not the only crunch match of the series that involves 16 of the 20 Nigerian Premier League clubs.
Similarly, another Premier League side will crash out following the match-up of Akwa United and Wikki Tourists.
That is in addition to any other possible upset that could see the further depletion of the top ranked clubs as the Federation Cup progresses to the title match.
In the process, the lack of glamour that has seen the shines taken off the previously known Challenge Cup competition wil continue.
ALL THE ROUND OF 64 FIXTURES (MEN)
- Heartland FC (Imo) vs Jedo FC (Sokoto)
- Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) Vs Essien Ayi FC (Cross River)
- Ahudiya FC (Abia) Vs Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa)
- ABS FC (Kwara) Vs Bendel Insurance FC (Edo)
- Standard FC (Kaduna) Vs Ekiti United (Ekiti)
- FC Basira (Nasarawa) Vs Sunshine Stars (Ondo)
- EFCC FC (FCT) Vs Katukan Tsafe FC (Zamfara)
- Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) Vs Akwa United FC (Akwa Ibom)
- Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Beyond Limit FC (Ogun)
- 3SC (Oyo) Vs Adamimogo FC (Ondo)
- Mighty Jets (Plateau) Vs Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger)
- Malumfashi FC (Katsina) Vs Gombe United (Gombe)
- Osun United (Osun) Vs Katsina United (Katsina)
- Bendel Insurance Feeders (Edo) Vs Maikunkele FC (Niger)
- Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) Vs Kano Pillars Jnr (Kano)
- Lobi Stars (Benue) Vs FC One Rocket (Akwa Ibom)
- Jama United (Zamfara) Vs Plateau United (Plateau)
- Rivers United (Rivers) Vs Enyimba FC (Abia)
- Ingas FC (Enugu) Vs Novia FC (Adamawa)
- El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) Vs De Cardinal FC (Rivers)
- Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Kebbi United (Kebbi)
- DMD FC (Borno) Vs ABJ FC (Bauchi)
- Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Crusader FC (Bayelsa)
- Gateway United (Ogun) Vs Kwara United (Kwara)
- FC Ebedei (Ekiti) Vs Hope of Glory FC (Cross River)
- Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe) Vs Igbajo FC (Osun)
- Adamawa United (Adamawa) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu)
- Ilaji FC (Oyo) Vs Kano Pillars (Kano)
- Green Berets FC (Kaduna) Vs FR Ebunuja (Imo)
- Ozalla FC (Anambra) Vs Doma United (Gombe)
- Kogi United Feeders (Kogi) Vs Edel FC (Anambra)
- Mailantarki FC (FCT) Vs kogi United (Kogi)
ALL THE ROUND OF 32 FIXTURES (WOMEN)
- Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa) Vs Maureen Mmadu KFC (Anambra)
- Akwa Angels (Akwa Ibom) Vs Dannaz Ladies (Lagos)
- Owo Itan FC (Akwa Ibom) Vs Fortress FC (Edo)
- Honey Badgers (Benue) Vs Kada FC (Kaduna)
- Heartland Queens (Imo) Vs Confluence Queens (Kogi)
- Lakeside FC (Ogun) Vs Kwara Ladies (Kwara)
- Sunshine Queens (Ondo) Vs Edo Queens (Edo)
- Maureen Mmadu KFC (Abia) Vs Green Foot (Enugu)
- FC Robo (Lagos) Vs Immaculate Queens (Enugu)
- First Mah FC (Imo) Vs Royal Queens (Delta)
- Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa) Vs Gallant FC (Kaduna)
- Naija Ratels (FCT) Vs Adamawa Queens (Adamawa)
- Rivers Angels (Rivers) Vs Golden Sun FC (Bayelsa)
- Osun Babes (Osun) Vs Awka Angels (Anambra)
- Ekiti Queens (Ekiti) Vs Moje Queens (Kwara)
- Paul E. FC (FCT) Vs Delta Queens (Delta)
The star match of the President Federation Cup Round of 16 is the potentially epic confrontation of Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance.
The history of the Nigerian National Cup is littered with the epic duels of the two who have three times contested the final matches in 1978, 1981 and recently in 2023.
They clash again four steps before the final match. The two teams were involved in two of the most memorable final matches of Nigeria’s Cup competition in its 80-year history, with honours shared in 1978 and 1981.
The Benin Arsenal tore apart the form books to shock the nation’s football fraternity by spanking Rangers 3-0 in the final in Lagos in 1978, but the Flying Antelopes somewhat repaid the compliment with a 2-0 win at the same venue in 1981.
The setting for this Round of 16 clash is also in Lagos, though a different venue. But fireworks are expected by the waterfront from two teams aspiring for continental football.
Two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC, who eliminated Cup holders El-Kanemi Warriors in the Round of 32, will take on Abakaliki FC at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.
Nasarawa United and Bayelsa United will square up to each other in the university town of Anyigba, while Warri Wolves and Wikki Tourists battle things out in the Federal Capital, Abuja.
Two great entertainers, Ikorodu City and Beyond Limits will be at each other’s jugular at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, where Solution FC will tango with Kwara United in an earlier game. Plateau United will confront Osun United in Anyigba.
Akwa United and Inter Lagos are at loggerheads in Abuja.
Round of 16 fixtures (Men) on Wednesday
- Enyimba FC (Abia) Vs Abakaliki FC (Ebonyi) – Asaba – 4pm
- Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) – Anyigba 10am
- Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) – Area 3 Abuja – 1 pm
- Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Beyond Limits (Ogun) – Benin City – 4 pm
- Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Inter Lagos (Lagos) – Area 3 Abuja – 4 pm
- Solution FC (Anambra) Vs Kwara United (Kwara) – Benin City – – 10 am
- Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Osun United (Osun) – Anyigba – 1 pm
- Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu) – MJA Lagos – 4 pm
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BY IKENNA NWOKEDI
Nearly half of the Nigerian clubs that made it to the Round of 32 of the President Federation Cup are from the second-tier league, the Nigerian National League (NNL).
There are 15 clubs from the NNL and that has thrilled the president of the 36-club league, Godwin Enakhena, hailing the preponderance of the NNL clubs in the national cup as a positive development.
The body of club owners goes by the acronym, NALCOMA which translates to Nigeria National League Club Owners and Managers Association.
Enakhena described the dominance of the NNL clubs as an improved performance over that of the previous season.
He therefore foresees an NNL club winning the 2025 edition of the oldest football competition in Nigeria, replicating the feat of El Kanemi in last year’s edition when they outwitted Abia Warriors in the final match.
The 15 NNL clubs who made the President Federation Cup Round of 32 are Basira FC, Crown FC, Warri Wolves, Gombe United, Solution FC, Osun United, Beyond Limits and Inter Lagos. Others are Wikki Tourists, Adamawa United, Ijele FC, Abakaliki United, Zamfara United, Rovers of Calabar and Mighty Jets.
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FEDERATION CUP
President Federation Cup Round of 64 throw ups Rangers v Kano Pillars clash for the third time this season
In what is a repeat of the 2018 Federation Cup final, Kano Pillars and Enugu Rangers will clash again, but at the Round of 64 stage.
It will be the third time this season that both teams will clash having met twice in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Incidentally, both matches were won by Kano Pillars in Enugu and Kano.
It is the only clash of NPFL clubs at the opening stage of the national finals.
In what looks like an employment of seeding, the remaining 15 NPFL clubs will not clash until the competition gets into the finals.
In the women’s category, Bayelsa Queens also must do battle with last year’s finalists Naija Ratels in the earliest stage possible in the women’s event – Round of 32.
ROUND OF 64 (MEN)
- El-Kanemi Warriors Vs Simon Ben FC
- Enyimba FC Vs El-Shama FC
- Yobe Desert Stars Vs Abakaliki FC
- Katsina United Vs Green Beret
- Nasarawa United Vs Flight FC
- Ijele FC Vs Lautau FC
- Bayelsa United Vs EFCC FC
- FC Basira Vs Atlantic FA
- Warri Wolves Vs Wilbros FC
- Shooting Stars Vs Zamfara United
- Wikki Tourists Vs Edel FC
- Rovers FC Vs Igbajo FC
- Ikorodu City Vs Sunshine U19
- Crown FC Vs NOSMAS FC
- Beyond Limit FC Vs Krusaders FC
- Rivers United Vs Barau FC
Mighty Jets Vs Imperial FC - Akwa United Vs Kebbi United
- Inter Lagos Vs Harmony FA
- Sokoto United Vs Jr. Danburan FC
- Lobi Stars Vs Discovery Talent FC
- Solution FC Vs Eagle Stars
- Kwara United Vs Cynosure FC
- Gombe United Vs Assemblies of God
- Sunshine Stars Vs FC Bako
- Plateau United Vs Ahudiyannem FC
- Osun United Vs FWC FC
- ABS FC Vs E-World
- Bendel Insurance Vs Dandidi Babes
- Adamawa United Vs Warinje Babes
- Heartland FC Vs CP Strikers
- Rangers Int’l Vs Kano Pillars
All matches will take place on Wednesday, 19th March
ROUND OF 32 (WOMEN)
- Rivers Angels Vs Moje Queens
- Gallant Queens Vs First Mahi Babes
- Remo Stars Ladies Vs Plateau United Queens
- Dannaz Ladies Vs GP World
- Delta Queens Vs Jacklyn Angels
- Ibom Angels Vs Sporting Angels
- Fortress Ladies Vs Onimarg FC
- Heartland Queens Vs Crystal Stars
- Osun Babes Vs N-Youth Ladies
- Edo Queens Vs Kada Queens
- Delta Babes Vs Mighty Jets Mata
- Adamawa Queens Vs Unification Ladies
- Sunshine Queens Vs Castmog Ladies
- Confluence Queens Vs Ahudiyannem Queens
- Nasarawa Amazons Vs Kwara Ladies
- Bayelsa Queens Vs Naija Ratels
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