26th April, 2019
ABS Football Club of Ilorin on Thursday breezed into the final match of the 2019 Kwara FA Cup competition after a 3-0 win over Offa FC.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victory by ABS FC was in a semi-final match played at the Kwara Stadium Complex in Ilorin.
Offa FC had defeated La Planet Academica 2-1 in the early stages of the competition to set up the date with ABS FC which had earlier drawn bye.
Emeka Ewendu put the Nigeria National League (NNL) side ahead in the 18th minute with a perfect finish.
David Okoromi had beaten his markers and found Ewendu in Offa FC’s goal area with a chested pass which he utilised from a close range.
Okoromi would have doubled the lead one minute later for ABS FC, when he connected a beautiful cross inside Offa FC’s penalty box, but he headed wide.
Shola Abdulraheem went close in the 36th minute when he called goalkeeper Lukman Shittu into action, but his shot only barely scared before he parried it for a corner kick.
Ebuka Anaekwe doubled the lead for ABS FC in the 41st minute with a good finish.
He collected the ball with a tidy first touch, before sending a powerful drive towards goal, with his initial shot hitting the upright before crossing the goalline for the second goal.
ABS FC resumed the second half more determined and dictated most of the proceedings, confining Offa FC to their half many times.
Goalkeeper Moses Chima was called to action in the 51st minute by a brilliant Abdullateef Olaniyi’s shot for Offa FC.
Okoromi made a useful run into the opposition’s box before his dipping shot went in to make it 3-0 for ABS FC in the 65th minute.
He was close again in the 90th minute of play, but Offa FC goalkeeper did brilliantly to parry his shot for a corner kick.
The result means ABS FC will face Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Kwara United in the final on Saturday.
NAN reports that Kwara United had defeated Kwara Football Academy (KFA) 1-0 on Wednesday to book a place in the final.