Coaches Christopher Danjuma and Tosan Blankson have opened up about their teams’ journeys, mindset, and the stakes ahead of the Federation Cup final, www.aclsports.com reports.
After a tense semi-final victory over Edo Queens, Nasarawa coach Danjuma expressed gratitude and determination.
“The first thing that came to my mind was to give God the glory,” he said. “Life is a path to be navigated. There are twists and turns. We recently missed out on continental qualification, but we told ourselves there’s still something to play for.”
Despite Edo Queens recently denying them the NWFL title, Danjuma dismissed any thoughts of revenge.
“There was no grudge. This was a must-win match, and we approached it with a clean mind and a clear goal.”
He credited tactical discipline, especially chance creation, as key to the win.
“We target a chance every seven minutes. In the second half, we brought in more clinical players and it worked.”
Looking ahead, Danjuma is focused on ending the season with silverware.
“We want to make the state proud, improve our CVs, and do what professionals do, win trophies.”
For Rivers Angels, their semi-final win over Ibom Angels came with mixed emotions for coach Tosan Blankson (L).
“I’m overwhelmed, but the late red card was unnecessary and disappointing,” he said.
After a goalless first half, Blankson’s halftime instructions sparked a turnaround.
“We said: no more defending. We made the right changes and scored immediately.”
Repositioning Taiwo Afolabi proved decisive.
“That switch gave us the edge we needed and unlocked Ibom Angels’ defense.”
Although Rivers Angels fell short in the NWFL Super Six, Blankson remains focused on the final.
“That’s in the past. Based on our last two matches, I believe we were the real winners.”
Looking ahead to a rematch with Nasarawa, he’s confident.
“Yes, they beat us then. But this is a different ball game. I’m very sure we’ll defeat them this time.”
The Final Showdown
With both teams in form and hungry for redemption, the final promises more than just a trophy. It’s a clash for pride, purpose, and the chance to define their season on their own terms.
