FEDERATION CUP
Round of 64 duel throw up a repeat of 2018 Federation Cup final match
The draw for the 2024 Federation Cup has thrown up a repeat of the 2018 final match as Enugu Rangers face crowd-pulling Kano Pillars in the Round of 64.
In the 2018 final match in Asaba, Enugu Rangers came back from three-goal down to stalemate scores and eventually won 4-3 on penalties.
In this season, both teams will be meeting for the third time following a 1-1 draw in Kano and a 4-1 win by Rangers in Enugu in the on-going Nigeria Premier League.
The Round of 64 Federation Cup is obviously the star match as last year’s runners-up, Enugu Rangers will go up against Kano Pillars.
At the national draw conducted inside the NFF Secretariat on Thursday, the two former winners were drawn together, with Cup holders Bendel Insurance to face Ogun State flag bearers, Stormers Sports Club.
High-riding Shooting Stars of Ibadan must negotiate for a place in the Round of 32 with Solution FC, while two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC of Aba must overpower Warinje FC from Bauchi, a survivor of the National Play-offs.
In the women’s draw, Cup holders Bayelsa Queens are up against Bright Future Queens, while Rivers Angels will tango with Ekiti Queens and Delta Queens tackle Fortress Ladies.
Last year’s runners-up Rivers Angels confront Ekiti Queens, with Delta Queens clashing with Fortress Ladies and Edo Queens to battle it out with Kada Queens.
At the draw, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau assured that the Federation is committed to restoring the glamour and glitz of the oldest football championship in the land, while also pledging that the integrity of the competition will be maintained all through the men’s and women’s competitions till the Grand Finale.
Also at the draw were NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme; Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; Director of Finance and Admin, Babatunde Akinsanya; Director of Competitions, Ruth David; COO, Nigeria National League, Dr. Ayo Abdulrahaman; Head of Marketing, Alizor Chuks; Head of Protocol, Barnabas Joro; Head of Women’s Football, Amina Daura; Head of National Competitions, Danlami Alanana; Member, Cross River State FA Board, Barr. Tom Agi; Special Assistant to NFF President, Abubakar Danladi; Special Assistant to General Secretary, Mohammed Ameenu and; Member, NFF Women’s Football Committee, Harry Awurumibe.
ROUND OF 64: MEN’S DRAW
Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Stormers SC (Ogun)
Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) Vs Jr. Danburan (Katsina)
Osun United (Osun) Vs EFCC FC (FCT)
Edel FC (Anambra) Vs Discovery Talent FC (Kebbi)
Zamfara United (Zamfara) Vs ABS FC (Kwara)
Kebbi United (Kebbi) Vs Ine Stars (Edo)
Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Cynosure FC (Ebonyi)
Mighty Jets (Plateau) Vs Zamfara United Feeders (Zamfara)
Gombe United (Gombe) Vs Karim United (Taraba)
El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) Vs Adanimogo FC (Ondo)
Lobi Stars (Benue) Vs Delta Marine (Delta)
Shooting Stars (Oyo) Vs Solution FC (Anambra)
Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Green Berets (Kaduna)
Coal City (Enugu) Vs Ekiti United Feeders (Ekiti)
Beyond Limits (Ogun) Vs Hammola Int’l (Osun)
Inter Lagos (Lagos) Vs May Frank (Cross River)
Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Lautai FC (Jigawa)
Kwara United (Kwara) Vs Rovers FC (Cross River)
Abia Warriors (Abia) Vs Ilaji FC (Oyo)
Sporting Supreme (FCT) Vs PCM FC (Ebonyi)
Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs FC Bako (Kobi)
Sokoto United (Sokoto) Vs Ofirima FC (Rivers)
FC One Rocket (Akwa Ibom) Vs Fr. Eburuaja (Imo)
Enyimba FC (Abia) Vs Warinje FC (Bauchi)
Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Ekiti United (Ekiti)
Sunshine Stars (Ondo) Vs Jedo Academy (Sokoto)
Rivers United (Rivers) Vs Ikukuoma FC (Imo)
Niger Tornadoes (Niger) Vs Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger)
Katsina United (Katsina) Vs Dutse Strikers (Jigawa)
Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) Vs FC Basira (Nasarawa)
Doma United (Gombe) Vs Gamji Eaglets (Taraba)
Kano Pillars (Kano) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu)
ROUND OF 32: WOMEN’S DRAW
Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa) Vs Bright Future Queens (Enugu)
Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa) Vs Suit De Queens (Oyo)
Dannaz Ladies (Lagos) Vs Mighty Jets Mata (Plateau)
Remo Stars Ladies (Ogun) Vs OSKE Leans (Rivers)
Abia Angels (Abia) Vs Castmong Ladies (Ogun)
Naija Ratels (FCT) Vs ON Youth Academy (FCT)
Heartland Queens (Imo) Vs GoldenSun FC (Bayelsa)
FC Robo Queens (Lagos) Vs Onimang FC (Ondo)
Kwara Ladies (Kwara) Vs Ahudiya Nnem Queens (Abia)
Delta Queens (Delta) Vs Fortress Ladies (Edo)
Sunshine Queens (Ondo) Vs Green Foot FC (Enugu)
Plateau United Ladies (Plateau) Vs Honey Badgers (Benue)
Gallant FC (Kaduna) Vs Osun Babes (Osun)
Confluence Queens (Kogi) Vs Delta Ladies (Delta)
Edo Queens (Edo) Vs Kada Queens (Kaduna)
Ekiti Queens (Ekiti) Vs Rivers Angels (Rivers)
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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