Federation Cup: El Kanemi are Champions for the Third time

After 31 years, El Kanemi Warriors will once again play on the continent after a convincing  2-0 victory over Abia Warriors in the Federation Cup final at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, platinumnewsng.com is reporting.

The Maiduguri based team who just earned promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League were energetic all through the 90 minutes making the game difficult for Abia Warriors on Saturday evening in  Lagos.

Starting the game with so much energy, the newly promoted NPFL side earned a penalty in the 12th minute, after the dazzling Nasiru Salihu was trying to weave his way to get a shot on goal. With the penalty awarded, Ali Ishaku saved the resultant spot kick to keep things level, diving left and eventually parrying the ball for a corner kick.

As the game went on, El Kanemi’s Salihu eventually got the opener at the half hour mark after combining with jersey number 15 to finish a low cross.

Coach Bethel Oji in a bid to correct and get back into the game introduced Onu Emmanuel and Antoine Desozua for Ayodele Ezekiel and Meme Okike.

These substitutions however did not bring any change with the skillful and pacy El Kanemi causing more troubles to Abia’s defence.

Salihu after missed chances eventually got a brace to his name. Receiving a pass from Gimba Ajiji, he did not fail to latch onto an empty net.

Abia Warriors kept trying to get a goal but George Abine, Kanemi’s goalie put up his A game to secure a clean sheet. With this result, El Kanemi Warriors will pick up the fourth ticket to represent Nigeria at the CAF Confederations Cup. They won the Federation Cup in 1991 and 1992 . The team last appeared on the continent in 1993, participating in the CAF Winners Cup.