After months of competitive football against several opponents, the Winners Golden Bet Lagos State FA Cup climaxed as Smart City of Surulere and Nigeria Women’s Premier League (NWPL) side emerged winners in both the male and female category.
Holders, Nigeria Women’s Premier League (NWPL) side FC Robo retained their title following a 5-2 thumping of their non-league opponents, Young Talents 99 at the women’s final on Sunday afternoon.
The Lagos-based team opened the scoring as early as the 4th minute through Monday Gift before Onyenezide Esther doubled the lead as the NWFL team went into the break two goals up.
In what was expected to be a revenge mission for Young Talents 99 who lost last year’s final to this same FC Robo side, the comeback began in the second half but not after a third goal was scored by the NWFL side.
The non-league side scored twice but FC Robo halted them in their tracks responding with two goals to seal a memorable victory over their opponents as Esther Onyenezide was named Woman of the Match.
In the Lagos FA Cup men’s category it was a keenly contested affair between Smart City FC of Surulere and Spartans FC of Agege at the Agege Township Stadium.
Smart City showed the spectators a tip of what was to come putting the ball in the net from kick off. The player was however adjudged to be offside as the score remained level.
Both teams were evenly matched throughout the entire duration of the game as it required a mistake or moment of brilliance for a goal to come and it wasn’t long before that happened.
With almost an hour gone, Smart City were awarded a penalty as Spartan goalkeeper, Olukunmi Adeniyi brought down Ibrahim Fatai in the box. A Debola Ajani then stepped up and converted from the spot to score the only goal of the game.
Bashir Kareem picked up the Man of the Match award in the men’s final as all four finalists in the make and female category will represent Lagos State in the AITEO Cup.
