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2024 President Federation Cup: ‘We wanted to make history but lost the final’ – Bankole Olowookere
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Head coach of Naija Ratels, Bankole Olowookere, shared his thoughts on his team’s historic aspirations in the final of the 2024 President Federation Cup.
The Abuja-based side aimed to become the first debutant team to win the title but fell short, losing 1-0 to Rivers Angels on Saturday.
The match was decided by a penalty goal from Blessing Okpe just before the half-time whistle.
“We came into the game with the intention of winning the President Federation Cup to set a record and make history,” Olowookere told journalists after the match.
“My life is about making history. It is unfortunate, but we made another kind of history by reaching the final in our debut.”
Naija Ratels have risen swiftly from the second-tier Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship to becoming a prominent team in the top-flight women’s football league in Nigeria. In their first-ever season in the top flight, they qualified for the Super Six.
“We have a five-year program with three years focused on development, and in the fourth and fifth years, we expected to see dividends. Although we didn’t win, we have come a long way,” Olowookere continued.
“You win some, you lose some. At least we won enough games to reach this stage. It’s our fate, and I congratulate my fellow coach.”
Olowookere also addressed misconceptions about the game’s outcome and his team’s performance: “It’s not good for the development of the game to say Rivers Angels are vastly superior. If we had won, we would have set a record.
“Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side. They are not better than us; there is an element of luck in football. We will go back, work harder, and aim for better results in the future.”
FCT Queens were the last team from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to win the President Federation Cup. Naija Ratels hoped to set a new record but fell short with a 1-0 loss to Rivers Angels, who secured their ninth title.
