Real Sapphire and Joy Cometh could not be separated as their match day two clash at the ongoing 2024-25 Nigeria Nationwide League One playoffs in Ibadan ended in a 1-1 draw, www.aclsports.com reports.
Real Sapphire went in front through Olawale Ayodele’s early strike in the second half, but Joy Cometh’s Samuel Adeleke cancelled it out in the 86th minute to ensure a share of the spoils in the keenly contested clash.
The 2025 TCC League champions opened their account in the playoffs with a comfortable 2-0 win over FC Ebedei on Thursday, while Joy Cometh shocked Stormers SC to set up a top-of-the-table clash between the two teams on Saturday morning at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
Despite the light showers, the two teams played their hearts out on the pitch in search of all maximum points. Real Sapphire expectedly dominated the early exchanges, but they could not find a way past the Lagos side’s defence as the first half ended goalless.
However, minutes after the interval, Olawale Ayodele scored to put his side in the driving seat. That goal gave the Orange boys a bit of momentum, and they could have gone two-nil up moments later. Junaid Ayomide was brilliantly teed up in the area by Nigeria U20 star Bidemi Amole, but the former’s effort went wide of the post.
After that miss, Joy Cometh grew into the game, and with less than five minutes of regulation time to go, they found the leveller. Substitute Samuel Adeleke pounced on a poor clearance from the Real Sapphire defence to fire beyond the goalkeeper to send the bench into wild jubilation. The equaliser changed the dynamics of everything, and Real Sapphire could not find the winner, as the two teams settled for a draw.
A win would have put Real Sapphire in a great position to pick the promotion ticket, but it is now in Joy Cometh’s favour, who will face winless FC Ebedei in their final group game on Sunday. The Oliseh Boys were beaten 2-1 by Stormers in the first game of the day, as the battle for the sole promotion ticket goes to the final match day.
Real Sapphire will face Stormers SC at the Olubadan Township Stadium, while Joy Cometh and FC Ebedei will slug it out at the Lekan Salami Stadium on Sunday. The two games will go ahead at 10am.
The club that finishes top of the log at the end of match day three on Sunday will be promoted to the second division of Nigerian football – Nigeria National League.
