Heartland Queens booked their place in the semi-finals of the President Federation Cup after defeating Ibom Angels 4-2 on penalties following an entertaining 2-2 draw in regulation time.
The Owerri-based side made a bright start and took the lead in the 12th minute through Chimebere Opara. Heartland Queens doubled their advantage shortly after the restart when Umejiaku Oluebube found the back of the net in the 51st minute, putting them firmly in control of the quarter-final contest.
Ibom Angels responded strongly and began their comeback in the 66th minute when Miriam Okocha reduced the deficit. The Uyo side continued to press and were rewarded in the 76th minute as Happiness Agboye scored the equaliser to level the score at 2-2.
With neither side able to find a winner in regulation time, the match was decided by a penalty shootout. Heartland Queens held their nerve from the spot, converting four penalties to Ibom Angels’ two to secure a place in the last four.
Heartland Queens will now face FC Robo Queens in the semi-finals.
FC Robo Queens advanced after edging defending champions Rivers Angels 1-0, courtesy of a decisive goal from Opeyemi Ajakaye.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
