Moje Queens of Erin-Ile yesterday, Sunday February 23, 2025, broke the dominance of Kwara Ladies United Football Club to win the 2025 President Federation Cup competition in the state.
The finals of both the female and male competitions were decided at the Rashidi Yekini Main-Bowl of the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
The highly determined Queens were down 2-1, but got a stoppage time equaliser from a well taken long range free kick, to drag the final into penalties, which they won by 4-3, to become the new state champions.
Kwara Ladies United had, for some years, remained champions, always beating same Queens to the title.
In the male final, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Ilorin Football Club wasted the opportunity to break Kwara United’s strong hold on the trophy, but got commendations for pushing the champions to the limit.
ABS FC took the lead in the 21st minute after a defensive blunder, with Boluwatife Ajina rounding up two defenders and the goalkeeper before scoring the opener. ABS FC dominated much of the game, with Kwara United struggling to break through their defense.
In the second half, Coach Tunde Sanni made tactical substitutions, bringing in Ismaila Gata, Shola AbdulRaheem, and Junior Aimufua to replace Wasiu Jimoh, Issa Gata, and Sadeeq Yusuf.
The changes paid off, as Kwara United increased the pressure and were rewarded in the 80th minute when Kabiru Mohammed was brought down in the box, earning a penalty. Ismaila Gata stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick to level scores.
In the breathtaking shoot-out, ABS FC lost their first kick, while Kwara United lost their last kick, and the decisive moment came when the ABS FC goalkeeper missed a sudden-death penalty, allowing Kabiru Mohammed to seal victory for Kwara United with the final kick.
Coach Tunde Sanni, in his post-match reaction, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, describing the win as a moral booster ahead of their next NPFL Matchday 26 fixture against Abia Warriors on Wednesday.
For Coach Sanni Sardauna of ABS FC, he commended his boys for proving their worth, despite being written off by bookmakers before the final.
Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Mallam Bola Magaji has pledged that both teams will get support from the state government ahead of the National finals.
While commending ABS FC for putting up a wonderful performance, he praised the standard of the final, as he charged the two representatives to do the state proud in the national competition.
One of those whose outfit partnered Kwara FA for the final, Engr Ahmed Olaide called for effective motivation for Kwara’s representatives in the President Federation Cup.
Engr. Olaide, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cyteck Engineering and Technology Limited, after witnessing the final matches called for adequate motivation and support for Kwara state’s representatives in this year’s President Federation Cup.
Engr. Olaide emphasized the need for proper incentives and encouragement to help Kwara teams excel in the national tournament.
He urged government and stakeholders to rally behind both the female and male representatives as they prepare to represent the state on a bigger stage.
“Motivation is what is required from all of us to help our teams to excel in the National President Federation Cup”, he said.
He praised ABS FC’s resilience and determination against their arch-rivals, Kwara United, adding that he was impressed by their soccer artistry. He attributed their impressive display to the right developmental template and opportunities provided for young players in the state by their management.
