FEDERATION CUP
For the 1st time ever, President Federation Cup final holds in Abuja
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The final match of Nigeria national Cup, named President Federation Cup will hold for the first time ever at the nation’s capital city, Abuja.
The national cup itself is in its 79th edition having began in 1945 and held yearly except in 1973 owing to congested calendar and in 2020 as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic will have this year’s final match at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.
The stadium, commissioned 21 years ago will be the 15th arena to host the final match since 1945.
The national cup final which began as Governor’s Cup had its origin at Onikan Stadium which was then known as Association Ground. It hosted the national final under different names from 1945 to 1972 as it changed names from Association Ground to King George V and later to Lagos City Stadium.
It never hosted the final under the name of Onikan Stadium, a name it adopted after the old structure was pulled down in 1974 and rebuilt by Lateef Jakande’s government in the early 1980s.
It last hosted the then Challenge Cup in 1972 in an ill-tempered match between Mighty Jets and the then Bendel Insurance. The match ended 2-2 and had to be replayed. It was the last time a national final match was held at the water-front arena.
For the first time, the final was moved to Ibadan at the then Liberty Stadium, now renamed Obafemi Awolowo Stadium. The 1974 final was played at the newly built National Stadium, Lagos where successive editions were held uninterrupted till the 1988 edition which held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.
The fifth stadium to host the final match was Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi in 1989. It was in Bauchi that history was made when for the first time in 36 years; a club from the North won the national Cup.
The relatively unknown and young Amodu Shaibu coached BCC Lions to beat a higher rated Iwuanyanwu Nationale 1-0.
The Bauchi stadium went on to host in 1994. Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi was the sixth host in 1992. It hosted again in 2008.
Sports Village Square recalls that the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna in 1993 became the seventh host. Since then, the arena that was inaugurated on August 2, 1964 hosted again in 1997 and 2003.
The eighth host was Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna in 1998. Ogbemudia Stadium hosted in 2004 and 2021 as the ninth arena while Liberation Stadium, now renamed Yakubu Gowon Stadium hosted in 2005.
The MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta became the 10th stadium to host the then FA Cup in 2006. For the first time, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos hosted the final in 2007 a role it repeatedly played in 2009 and from 2011 to 2016.
The 12th stadium to host the final match was Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano in 2010. The 13th was the Agege Stadium in 2017 while the Stephen Keshi Stadium became the 14th after hosting the 2018 and 2023.
Past National Cup Final Matches Venues
- Association Ground, Lagos (Later Lagos City Stadium), Onikan Stadium & Mobolaji Johnson Arena 1945 to 1972)
- Liberty Stadium, Ibadan (Now Obafemi Awolowo Stadium) 1972 replay.
- National Stadium, Lagos. 1974 -1987, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999-2002.
- Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan. 1988.
- Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi. 1989, 1994.
- Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi. 1992, 2008.
- Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna. 1993, 1997, 2003.
- Ranchers Bees Stadium, Kaduna. 1998.
- Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin. 2004, 2021
- Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt (now Yakubu Gowon Stadium). 2005.
- Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos. 2007, 2009, 2011 – 2016.
- Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano. 2010.
- Agege Stadium, Lagos, 2017
- Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, 2018, 2023
FEDERATION CUP
History-making as El Kanemi becomes the first club to lift Nigeria’s Cup at Onikan since 1971
What a splendid season it has been for El-Kanemi Warriors! First they got promoted into the Nigeria Premier League. They are the winners of the President Federation Cup, following up earlier victories of 1991 and 1992 and then cap it up with a ticket to play at the CAF Confederation Cup next season.
The 2-0 win over Abia Warriors tells just a bit of their dominance. They were undoubtedly the better side as they fired full cylinder from the beginning of their encounter with Abia Warriors who were contended to merely chasing loose balls.
The El kanemi Warriors were blazing from beginning to the end and became the first team to lift the national cup at the competition’s place of birth since the then WNDC Shooting Stars won on 23 October 1971 – the last concluded Nigeria FA Cup at Onikan.
Nimble-footed midfielder Nasiru Salihu, who would be crowned most valuable player of the competition, dazzled in the middle of the park and scored both goals to leave the Abia Warriors to look to fight another day.
Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt won their ninth title and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri won their third title as Nigeria’s National Cup (now known as President Federation Cup) grand finale took place at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos on Saturday.
In the women’s final, an enthralling encounter between the Angels from Garden City and Naija Ratels from the Federal Capital, and which kicked off at 1pm beside the Lagos Waterfront, was decided by a goal scored from the penalty spot by Blessing Okpe right before the half-time whistle.
Coach Whyte Ogbonda, who lifted his first trophy as head coach, praised his players for their dedication, resilience and hard work. “This victory is a testament to the team’s resilience and determination. We are thrilled to be champions of the President Federation Cup.”
Naija Ratels’ head coach, Bankole Olowookere, commended his young squad for their progress to the final. “Although we did not get the desired result, I am proud of my players for their fighting spirit. We will learn from this experience and come back stronger.”
AWARDS
WOMEN’S COMPETITION
Winner: Rivers Angels (N25million)
Runner-Up: Naija Ratels (N10million)
MVP: Blessing Okpe (Rivers Angels FC)
Top Scorer: Agama Ziperefeghe (Naija Ratels FC)
Best Goalkeeper: Agatha Thompson (Rivers Angels FC)
MEN’S COMPETITION
Winner: El-Kanemi Warriors (N50million)
Runner-Up: Abia Warriors (N20million)
MVP: Nasiru Salihu (El-Kanemi Warriors FC)
Top Scorer: Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United FC)
Best Goalkeeper: Ali Ishaku (Abia Warriors FC)
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The Enugu Rangers and Jigawa Golden Stars’ encounter of November 18, 1995, in the Challenge Cup third-place match might have offered little in terms of thrills. But it could earn a place in football record books.
The drab encounter at the National Stadium, Lagos, lasted for 135 minutes.
This could be a record as the longest duration of a Challenge Cup match.
Anwalu Ibrahim shot the Jigawa Golden Stars ahead after he had converted a pass from Habibu Inuwa to beat Enugu Rangers’ goalkeeper, Emeka Ijeh, in the 33rd minute. Enugu Rangers levelled up in the 62nd minute through substitute player, Fred Okpalo.
At full time, score lines stood at 1-1.The mandatory extra time could not break the tie.
Then followed the penalty shootout that was filled with amazing drama.
In the first set of five kicks for each side, both scored twice to stalemate score line at 3-3.
Thereafter, one after the other, players on both sides missed from the penalty spot!
There were 11 penalty kicks in a row that were lost, arousing the sleepy crowd that watched with amazement. Jigawa’s skipper Ibrahim Gwadale eventually scored in the “sudden-death” situation to put final score line at 4-3 in favour of his side.
The encounter produced one of the longest streaks of penalty misses.
The report, perhaps ,could have found a place in the famous Guinness Book of Records if entry had been made for it.
The Nigeria President Federation Cup final is a battle of Warriors. On one hand is the cup’s familiar face, the El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri who are playing the final match for the fourth time ever.
On the other, are the Abia Warriors, playing their first ever national cup final match and thus dreaming for a continental debut.
El-Kanemi were winners in 1991 and 1992 and losing finalists in 2001.
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