BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Shooting Stars, whose life in the next season is precariously placed on life supporting machine until the abandoned Gombe versus Wikki Tourists match is decided faces another acid test in Nigeria’s national Cup this Wednesday facing an embittered Akwa United whose loss of continental ticket is traceable to the 0-1 loss to Shooting Stars in the penultimate match day of the Nigerian top league.

Shooting Stars will need for survival, all elements of fair play that will see a relegated and consequently nothing at stake Gombe United beating fellow Gombe State team, Wikki Tourists  and drag both teams into relegation.

The embittered Akwa United host the troubled Shooting Stars in Uyo in an encounter that the former lords of Nigerian football will be seeking redemption.

It is the Round of 16 of the rebranded Nigerian national cup which is now the AITEO Cup. Akwa United won the national cup two seasons ago while the Shooting last won it in ages past – 22 years ago after a 3-0 defeat of Katsina United in Lagos. The potentially explosive Akwa United versus Shooting Stars encounter is the high point of the Round of 16 in which replay will feature in the home ground of the away teams in the event of ties.

In what is a proper double-header contrary to the misuse of the word in the Nigerian media, the Akwa United versus Shooting Stars will be preceded by another AITEO Cup curtain raiser duel as Akwa Starlets take on Nigeria’s newly crowned league champions, Plateau United.  The fans at the sumptuous Godswill Akpabio Stadium will therefore get to watch two matches for the price of one – a double header!

Will the two Akwa State government sponsored teams be lucky enough to get to the quarter finals? Events on Wednesday will offer the answer.

In other matches, Ekiti United are home to Katsina United, while relegated ABS FC will visit Unicem Rovers (conquerors of Enugu Rangers in the Round of 32) in Calabar, and Heartland FC of Owerri, close to NPFL return, will tackle FC IfeanyiUbah in Nnewi.

In the women’s competition, champions Rivers Angels take the pitch against Ben Women at the Yakubu Gown Stadium, as Pelican Stars host FC Robo Queens in Calabar and Nasarawa Amazons are away to Beautiful Tours in Abuja.

AITEO Cup Round of 16 Matches

MEN

FC Abuja Vs Niger Tornadoes – Area 3 Stadium (4pm)

Akwa Starlets Vs Plateau United – Godswill Akpabio Stadium (2pm)

Ngwa FC Vs Sunshine Stars – Abakaliki Township Stadium (4pm)

Osun United Vs El-Kanemi Babes – Oshogbo Township Stadium (4pm)

Unicem Rovers Vs ABS FC – UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar (4pm)

Akwa United Vs Shooting Stars – Godswill Akpabio Stadium (4pm)

Ekiti United Vs Katsina United Feeders – Oluyemi Kayode Stadium (4pm)

FC IfeanyiUbah Vs Heartland FC – Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium (4pm)

WOMEN

Pelican Stars Vs FC Robo Queens – UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar (2pm)

Confluence Queens Vs Sure Babes – Confluence Stadium, Lokoja (4pm)

Bayelsa Queens Feeders Vs Edo Queens – Nembe Stadium (4pm)

Rivers Angels Vs Ben Women FC – Yakubu Gowon Stadium, PH (4pm)

Sunshine Queens Vs Bayelsa Queens – Akure Township Stadium (4pm)

Beautiful Tours Vs Nasarawa Amazons – Area 3 Stadium (2pm)

Jokodolu Babes Vs Abia Angels – Lekan Salami Stadium (4pm)

Osun Babes Vs Ibom Angels – Oshogbo Township Stadium (2pm)