Bayelsa Queens came from one goal down to beat FC Robo Queens 3-1 to book their place in the final of the mains edition of Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament.
AITEO cup highest goal scorers scored hattrick to cancel out tournament’s highest goal scorer, Monday Gift’s 31st minutes goal.
The two sides went into the game with promises to pick the final ticket, but it’s the ‘Restoration Girls’ who got the better of the Coach Emmanuel Osahon side as they dominate play and create more defense threatening chances.
FC Robo Queens opened the scoring after Opeyemi Ajakaye sends a defense opening pass to Monday Gift who in the midst of two defenders found space to hit at goal, the ball went straight into the post to hand Gift her first of the match and 8th of the competition.
Robo afterwards had few more chances to seal of play and their desire could have been possible three minutes after when Opeyemi Ajakaye scored from a Monday Gift rebounded save, only to be flagged off for Gift’s handball by the assistant referee.
Moment after, Anjor Mary restored parity after zooming into the box to connect with across from the right flank of her attack and reset play, placing her low attempt which bounced inches from the goalkeeper to the extreme angle of the post.
Anjor Mary scored twice in 9 minutes, first on the 68th and second on the 77th minutes to take the game beyond FC Robo, who looked dejected in the second half of the encounter.
In the second match, Rivers Angels continue their dominance in the Nigeria Women Football with yet another clinical performance against home team, Edo Queens by defeating the Obaseki girls 3-1 to set up final clash with Bayelsa Queens on Sunday evening.
Rosemary Ekong headed Rivers into the lead from the left corner of the Edo Queens post, the defenders lost focus of her and allowed her ask the goal keeper a question she had no response to.
Chiamaka Okuchukwu, three minutes into the second half, ran into space to fire home past a sluggish Edo Queens defense from rebound off Chioma Alamah.
540 seconds later, Chiamaka Okuchukwu for her brace once again fitted herself into right position on the edge of the post to collect a pass from her team mate, raised the ball twice to get herself into right mood and fired past Chioma Alamah who could have done better with the ball, and ran towards the far right side of the pitch, celebrating in Cristiano Ronaldo’s trademarked goal celebration.
Edo Queens despite going down to three goals still dictate the pace of the game for the rest of the game and their effort paid off on the 78th minute when substitute, Elizabeth Zirike fired home a brilliant free kick from 25 meters away off goal – the consolation they could get in the game.
In the losers’ final which kicks off 9am on Sunday, will see Robo and Edo Queens play for pride in what could be a more interesting game than expected. The winner of the third place will go home with N2million and the fourth placed team also smiling to the bank with N1million cash prize.
The final, scheduled for 5pm at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, will witness AITEO cup champions, Bayelsa Queens trade tackles with the champions of Nigeria Women Football League Premiership, River’s Angels in a pre super cup encounter rehearsal.
Fireworks is expected from this final match as #5,000,000 is at stake for the winner, though the runner up won’t go home as they will also cart home 3,000,000, despite losing.
Meanwhile, set of jerseys were presented to the the four teams in the competition by the organisers