Kano Pillars are the inaugural winners of the maiden edition of the President’s Cup which ended this evening at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
Sai Masu Gida were the only unbeaten side at the end of the three day tournament packaged by the Special Adviser to the President, Daniel Amokachi named after Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Kano Pillars played out a 1-1 draw with the league’s reigning champions, Akwa United in the final game of the tournament to end the tourney with seven points from three games.
Akwa United were beaten 2-1 on Saturday through a last gasp Sunshine Stars’ goal and they came into the final game knowing that they must defeat Kano Pillars by at least two goals if they are leapfrog Sai Masu Gida who had six points from their opening two games with Sunshine Stars and Lobi Stars.
The Promise Keepers made their early domination count with the curtain raiser in the 22nd minute converted by Ezekiel Bassey who notched his second goal of the tournament in the process.
Knowing that they needed to score more than a goal, Kennedy Boboye tutored side continued to keep Pillars at bay but the four-time league champions kept to their game plan as they went in search of the equalising goal.
Akwa United’s Adewale Adeyinka was at his best to thwart most of Pillars’ forays but he was caught in no man’s land when Mustapha Jibrin in the 82nd minute leveled the scores for Sai Masu Gida who were led to the tournament by the Chief coach, Ibrahim Musa in the absence of Technical Adviser, Salisu Yusuf.
With seven points, Kano Pillars emerged as champions ahead of Sunshine Stars who earlier in the day defeated Lobi Stars 1-0 through Chigozie Chilekwu’s strike in the 26th minute. The Owena Whales finished with six points ahead of Akwa United who ended disappointedly in the third spot with four points.
Lobi Stars finished at the bottom without any point after close losses to Akwa United, Kano Pillars and Sunshine Stars.
