BUK Stallions Knock out Defending Champions UNIMAID

*LASU Blazers, UNN Lions, KSU Steelers make quarter finals 

BUK Stallions from the Bayero University Kano have knocked out the defending champions of the Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) UNIMAID Desert Warriors from this year’s competition. 

HiFL, organised by Pace Sports with support from StanbicIBTC, Bold, LIRS and Indomie, in its fourth active season has created excitement for collegiate football fans. 

In a pulsating match played in Kano, the Stallions frustrated all attempts made by the Desert Warriors to score a goal. The first leg ended 1-1 in Maiduguri, a score line that enabled the Stallions to qualify on the away goals rule.  

Speaking after the match, Coach Ibrahim Isiyaku Ibrahim of the BUK Stallions praised his boys for playing to instructions. 

“From the first leg, I noticed that they have good wingers who can dribble and make crosses. So, I instructed my fullbacks to block them effectively while we wear them out in the midfield. We ensured that they were stifled in the midfield and also make going through the wings difficult for them,” Coach Ibrahim revealed of the game plan that earned BUK passage to the quarter finals.

In Lagos, AAUA Luminaries from Adekunle Ajasin University could not overturn their 2-0 home loss against LASU Blazers as they lost 2-1. 

The Akungba Boys showed determination from the start and dominated the first half but they failed to make it count as the half ended 0-0.  

The Luminaries started from where they stopped in the first half and got the opening goal in the 47th minute through Samuel Oyetola. The goal served as a wake-up call for the Blazers who had to take on more attacking options from their defensive tactics. The change paid off in the 55th minute when Daniel Odufejo capitalised on a mistake from the Luminaries goalkeeper after a corner kick to head in the equaliser.   

The match was eventually settled with a second goal from the Blazers in the 86th minute. StanbicIBTC Man-of-the-Match Subair Yahya after a sublime move through the midfield released a fierce shot from outside the box that beat Opeyemi Oladele in goal for Luminaries.  

In other games, UNN Lions from Nsukka played a goalless draw in Port Harcourt to oust UNIPORT Sharks and qualified on a 4-2 goals aggregate. 

KSU Steelers from Kogi State University Anyigba defeated FUTMINNA Transformers 1-0 and qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time on a 3-2 goals aggregate.