The Final matches of the men and women competitions of this year’s Federation Cup will take place at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna today, setting alight the former administrative capital of northern Nigeria.
In the women’s final, Cup holders Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt will play Nasarawa Amazons of Lafia in a match that kicks off at 2pm.
Angels have maintained a vice grip on the women’s trophy, having won eight of the past nine editions, with only Sunshine Queens of Akure (2015) breaking their streak.
Ibom Angels, from Uyo, were going to make it a third successive final against Rivers Angels, before losing to Nasarawa Amazons in the semi-finals, paving the way for the 2005 champions to constitute the opposition to Rivers Angels on Sunday.
The men’s final known over the years and decades variously as Challenge Cup and FA Cup will see 2017 losing finalists Niger Tornadoes play last year’s losing finalists Kano Pillars.
Pillars’ faithful are perhaps yet to recover from last year’s shock, when threw away three goals lead against Rangers, winning on penalty shoot-out.
Tornadoes, from Minna, have their own ghosts to exorcise. Having played delightful football under floodlights at the Agege Stadium, Lagos in 2017, they were put to the sword by Akwa United after penalty shoot-out following a scoreless regulation period.
Additionally, the boys from Niger State have their fans to appease after surprisingly losing their Nigeria Professional Football League status at the end of the recently –concluded season.
Tornadoes have a lone previous triumph in the competition, after defeating Rangers International 1-0 in the 2000 final. But Pillars are still looking for their first win in the oldest competition in the land and the second oldest in Africa, with only two runners-up position to their name.
With Pillars finishing third in the Nigeria Professional Football League and already guaranteed a spot in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup, Niger Tornadoes are guaranteed of the second slot in the continent’s second club competition no matter the outcome of Sunday’s game.
At stake are prize monies of N25 million for the winner of the men’s competition and N10 million for the winner of the women’s competition. The runner –up for the men’s competition will pocket N10 million, with the runner –up for the women’s event going home with N5 million.
The post Fed Cup Finale Sets Kaduna Alight appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
Source: Independent
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