El-Kanemi Warriors win 3rd FA Cup after 32 years

Posted : 29 June 2024

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El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri ended their 32-year wait for silverware on Saturday by winning the 2024 President Federation Cup in style with a 2-0 victory over Abia Warriors of Aba.

A brace from Nasiru Salihu, one in each half, earned the resilient El-Kanemi Warriors their third President Federation Cup title against Abia Warriors. Salihu opened the scoring in the 32nd minute of the first half and completed his brace in the 69th minute of this action-packed match, the oldest cup competition in Nigeria.

The 2024 President Federation Cup final, held at the iconic Mobolaji Johnson Arena, drew important dignitaries from the sports industry. Among those present were the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur; Minister of Sports, John Enoh; former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick; Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu; and Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA), Liameed Gafaar, among others.

The match, dubbed the "Battle of the Warriors," saw the Desert Warriors take control as Salihu capitalized on Abia Warriors in the 32nd minute. The El-Kanemi goal poacher continued to trouble the Abia Warriors defense and calmly completed his brace in the 69th minute amidst drama.

The drama included some pitch invaders who breached security to celebrate the second goal before being swiftly removed by officials.

After the match, the match-winner Salihu stated in an interview that the team had thoroughly prepared beforehand. "We relied on our own strategy because on paper, Abia Warriors seemed to have the upper hand, but that didn't concern us at all. We kept our composure and executed our plan to defeat them, regardless of their status as a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side," he said.

It is reported that El-Kanemi Warriors are now three-time winners of the cup, having previously won in 1991 and 1992. The Desert Warriors initially secured the cup by defeating their northern counterparts Kano Pillars 3-2 in 1991 and successfully defended it with a 2-0 victory over Stationery Stores in 1992. Now, after 32 years, they have repeated the same scoreline against Abia Warriors in 2024.

El-Kanemi Warriors win 3rd FA Cup after 32 years

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