Agege Stadium, Lagos is set to come alive Today, with the hottest 2018 Federation Cup action, as Kano Pillars, Rivers United, Kwara United and Abia Warriors go out for tickets into the next stage of the competition.
It is the only group that has four clubs from the top-flight Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), such that footballlive.ng can reveal that fans at The Soccer Temple will expect nothing short of explosive action from the word go.
All four look good on paper to pick only two spots from Group C, with former back-to-back league champions, Kano Pillars, one time Cup winners, Rivers United of Port Harcourt, top bests as giant killers, and Abia Warriors of Umuahia and resurgent Kwara United of Ilorin all rated high among bookmakers’ permutations.
It is left to be seen which two of the quartet will eventually come out, as the battle for places in the quarter finals of this year’s AITEO Cup competition begins in eight centres, involving 16 teams in the men’s category and 12 teams in the women’s category.
In the men’s competition, Patani Stadium in Gombe will host CAF Confederation Cup semi finalists Enyimba, alongside FC IfeanyiUbah’s conquerors J. Atete FC, as well as Plateau United FC and Katsina United FC in Group A.
Another giant –killing side, Supreme Court FC will join NPFL teams Rangers International of Enugu, Sunshine Stars of Akure and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri to battle things out in Group B at Kano’s Sani Abacha Stadium.
Defending champions, Akwa United are in Group D, with matches at the refurbished Enyimba International Stadium, and with Wikki Tourists, Nasarawa United and Kogi United as opponents.
In the women’s competition, champions Rivers Angels are up against Bayelsa Queens Feeders and Osun Babes in Group A, with matches at the Lafia City Stadium, while the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu will host last year’s runners –up Ibom Angels, Delta Babes and Confluence Queens of Lokoja in Group B.
Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Odu will host Bayelsa Queens, Nasarawa Amazons and Sunshine Queens in Group C while Group D comprises Delta Queens, FC Robo Queens of Lagos and Edo Queens with U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar as venue.
The group phase matches will end on Friday, 28th September. The two –top placed teams in each group will proceed to the quarter finals, which will hold on Wednesday, 3rd October.
