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, 19^th 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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As Nigeria’s national cup competition, the President Federation Cup enters the Round of 64, 17 of the teams are in the top echelon of the Nigerian league.

The missing trio of the 20 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) are Remo Stars, Niger Tornadoes and Katsina United.

But like that of last season, clubs from the second tier Nigeria National League (NNL) dominate the number.

There are 23 of them in the Round of 64. The remaining 24 teams are either feeder teams to the NPFL clubs or the lowest cadre of the Nigeria league system.

But in a system where seeding is not employed, the possibility of the top-level clubs clashing and eliminating themselves exists.

That leaves the lowest cadre teams revelling into the final stage and the competition losing appeal

Qualified Teams for Round of 64 (Men)

• Enyimba FC (Abia)
• Akwa United (Akwa Ibom)
• Bayelsa United (Bayelsa)
• Lobi Stars (Benue)
• El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno)
• Bendel Insurance (Edo)
• Rangers Int’l (Enugu)
• Heartland FC (Imo)
• Kano Pillars (Kano)
• Katsina United (Katsina)
• Ikorodu City (Lagos)
• Nasarawa United (Nasarawa)
• Kwara United (Kwara)
• Sunshine Stars (Ondo)
• Shooting Stars (Oyo)
• Plateau United (Plateau)
• Rivers United (Rivers)
• Mighty Jets (Plateau)
• Adamawa United (Adamawa)
• Solution FC (Anambra)
• Edel FC (Anambra)
• Wikki Tourists (Bauchi)
• Rovers FC (Cross River)
• Warri Wolves (Delta)
• Abakaliki FC (Ebonyi)
• Ijele FC (Enugu)
• Gombe United (Gombe)
• Barau FC (Kano)
• Kebbi United (Kebbi)
• ABS FC (Kwara)
• Inter Lagos (Lagos)
• FC Basira (Nasarawa)
• Beyond Limit (Ogun)
• Osun United (Osun)
• Igbajo United (Osun)
• Crown FC (Oyo)
• Sokoto United (Sokoto)
• Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe)
• Zamfara United (Zamfara)
• Ahudiyannem (Abia)
• Warinje FC (Bauchi)
• Crusaders FC (Bayelsa)
• Flight FC (Benue)
• E-World FC (Cross River)
• Cynosure FC (Ebonyi)
• Assemblies of God (Edo)
• EFCC FC (FCT)
• FWC FC (FCT)
• Lautau FC (Jigawa)
• Green Beret (Kaduna)
• Jr. Danburam FC (Katsina)
• FC Bako (Kogi)
• Imperial FC (Ogun)
• Wilbros FC (Rivers)
• CP Strikers (Borno)
• NOSMAS FC (Ekiti)
• El-Shama FC (Gombe)
• Dandidi Babes (Jigawa)
• Simon Ben (Kaduna)
• Discovery Talent (Kebbi)
• Atlantic Academy (Niger)
• Harmony Academy (Niger)
• Sunshine U19 (Ondo)
• Eagle Stars (Taraba)

Qualified Teams for Round of 32 (Women)

• Ahudiyannem Queens (Abia)
• Adamawa Queens (Adamawa)
• Ibom Angels (Akwa Ibom)
• Jacklyn Angels (Akwa Ibom)
• GP World FA (Anambra)
• Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa)
• Crystal Stars (Bayelsa)
• Delta Queens (Delta)
• Delta Babes (Delta)
• First Mahi Babes (Ebonyi)
• Edo Queens (Edo)
• Fortress Ladies (Edo)
• Naija Ratels (FCT)
• N-Youth Ladies (FCT)
• Heartland Queens (Imo)
• Gallant Queens (Kaduna)
• Kada Queens (Kaduna)
• Confluence Queens (Kogi)
• Moje Queens (Kwara)
• Kwara Ladies (Kwara)
• Unification Ladies (Lagos)
• Dannaz Ladies (Lagos)
• Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa)
• Remo Stars Ladies (Ogun)
• Castmog Ladies (Ogun)
• Sunshine Queens (Ondo)
• Onimarg Ladies (Ondo)
• Osun Babes (Osun)
• Plateau United Queens (Plateau)
• Mighty Jets Mata (Plateau)
• Rivers Angels (Rivers)
• Sparkling Angels (Rivers)

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BY JOHNKENNEDY UZOMA, OWERRI

In their 2-0 defeat of the lesser-known OISA FC Okpala in Sunday’s Imo State final match of the President Federation Cup, former national champions, Heartland FC may have gotten a new lease of life.

It was their first trophy in three years following fluctuating fortunes that best the now rejuvenated side under coach Emmanuel Amuneke.

Escaping relegation at the end of the last minute on technical grounds owing to the ineligibility of Ikenne-based Beyond Limits Academy FC on account of club ownership, Heartland which started the season on a shaky note have navigated their way upstream from the relegation waters.

They now appear looking to reenact their glorious days as Nigeria club winners as they did in 2012 when they beat Lobi Stars in the Federation Cup final.

Their path to glory begins with their emergence as Imo State Cup winners. They did not make any pretence about their intentions as their early strike paid off as Suraji Lawal opened scoring against OISA on Sunday.  He later put in a second goal.

For the final match, former international and coach, Emmanuel Amuneke took the back seat as his assistant Charles Uzor revelled in the victory.

“I’m proud of my players for their hard work and determination. We deserved the win, and it’s a great boost for our confidence.”

The win is expected to boost Heartland FC’s morale ahead of their upcoming league matches against El-Kanemi of Maiduguri.

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