Pius Ayinor and Idris Adesina
Akwa
United on Sunday emerged winners of the 2015 Federation Cup after they
defeated Lobi Stars 2-1 in the final game played at the Teslim Balogun
Stadium, Lagos. And even as they celebrate, their coach Zachary Baraje
has threatened to quit if new quality players are not recruited.Also on Sunday and on the same pitch, Sunshine Queens won the women title when they beat Delta Queens 3-1 on penalties after the regulation time ended 1-1.
Goals from Nnamso Edo and Afeez Awakan gave the Uyo-based team the victory over their counterparts from Makurdi. Barnabas Imenger scored the consolation goal for Lobi.
The trophy was Akwa’s first trophy since their creation in 1996. The club, which placed 17th in the league this season, will play in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup along with Nasarawa United with their win of the Federation Cup.
The match was a replay of the last match of the NPFL 2014/2015 season between the two sides, who were then battling against relegation. A 1-0 win in Uyo for Akwa, courtesy of a goal from Awakan, helped Akwa escape relegation. Lobi had defeated them with the same score line in Makurdi earlier in the season.
But Sunday’s fixture, which was the third meeting between the two sides, was meant to be a revenge mission for Lobi but a resolute play from their opponents saw the 2003 Federation Cup winners pegged back and defeated in Lagos.
The match, which was witnessed by the Akwa Ibom and Benue States governors, Emmanuel Udom and Samuel Ortom, saw Akwa take the lead in the 36th minute from a free kick curled over the wall and into the net by Edo after Aniekena Udoh was hacked down close to the penalty area by the Lobi defenders. They doubled in the 70th minute their lead after a cross, which was not properly defended, fell to Awakan, who shot past the goalkeeper into the net.
Lobi got their consolation in added time from a free kick converted by Imenger.
Akwa coach, Zachary Baraje, said he was happy with the win but vowed to quit the club if they are not able to retain their good players and then fail to recruit new one for the continental campaign.
“It is not my first time of winning the Federation Cup but I am happy to be the first coach to win it for Akwa United. It is a big history for both the players and the club and I am happy to be a part of it,” Baraje told SuperSport after the match.
“I won’t stay if they won’t buy players and keep the ones they have.”
Meanwhile, before the Federation Cup game was played, Enyimba were handed the sum of N30m for winning this year’s league.
Enyimba skipper Chinedu Udoji received a dummy cheque of the prize money from League Management Company Chairman, Shehu Dikko. The Abia State government-sponsored team won the title after recording 70 points from 38 matches.
