By Dayo Awoniyi
Kwara United made history on Wednesday by defeating Rangers International 1-0 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, sealing their place in the President Federation Cup final for the first time in 49 years.
Wasiu Alalade scored the lone and decisive goal in the 48th minute, finishing smartly after earlier missed opportunities by both himself and Yahaya Ibrahim in the first half.
Despite a late surge from Rangers in search of an equalizer, Kwara United held their ground, thanks to several key saves from goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso, whose performance proved vital in preserving the slim advantage.
Speaking after the match, Kwara United head coach Tunde Sanni expressed his delight with the historic win.
“We’ve worked so hard to get here, and we will give it our all in the final,” he said, while also cautioning against underestimating their opponents.
“Abakaliki FC have earned their place, and we’ll approach the final with full focus and respect.”
The Ilorin-based side will now face tournament surprise package Abakaliki FC in the final as they look to lift the prestigious Federation Cup trophy and crown their remarkable run.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
