By Dayo Awoniyi
The President Federation Cup has reached its highly anticipated Round of 16, following a dramatic Round of 32 that delivered several upsets, with second-tier side Beyond Limits stunning Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) outfit Rivers United 2-1. Another surprise saw Solution FC eliminate NPFL side Lobi Stars.
The Round of 16 draw has set the stage for some exciting matchups, including the fierce “Battle of Uniteds” between Nasarawa United and Bayelsa United, as well as a clash between Bendel Insurance and Rangers International.
In the Round of 16 fixtures, Enyimba FC from Abia will face Abakaliki FC from Ebonyi, while Nasarawa United from Nasarawa will take on Bayelsa United from Bayelsa in what promises to be an exciting clash.
Warri Wolves from Delta will go up against Wikki Tourists from Bauchi, and Ikorodu City from Lagos will play Beyond Limits from Ogun. Akwa United from Akwa Ibom will face off against either Inter Lagos from Lagos or Junior, with the winner of that match advancing to the next round.
Solution FC from Anambra will take on Kwara United from Kwara, while Plateau United from Plateau will meet Osun United from Osun. Lastly, Bendel Insurance from Edo will battle Rangers International from Enugu in a highly anticipated encounter.
With several surprises already in the tournament, fans can expect more shocks and thrills as the competition heads towards its climax.
Here are the Round of 16 fixtures:
Enyimba FC (Abia) Vs Abakaliki (Ebonyi)
Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Bayelsa United (Bayelsa)
Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Wikki Tourists (Bauchi)
Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Beyond Limit (Ogun)
Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Inter Lagos (Lagos)/Jr.
Solution FC (Anambra) Vs Kwara United (Kwara)
Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Osun United (Osun)
Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu
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.
