Aiteo Cup: Pillars battle Sunshine, Rivers draw Tornadoes in quarter-final The Punch
Published 17 July 2021
Holders Kano Pillars and Sunshine Stars will clash in the quarter-finals of the Aiteo Cup in Lokoja on July 23,
Saturday PUNCH reports.
Pillars edged Kebbi United 3-2 on penalties after a goalless stalemate in the fourth round to set up the clash with Sunshine and midfielder
Tamara Ezekiel believes they can retain their title.
“We want to win everything as a football club and thank God we are through to the next round of the Aiteo Cup. It wasn’t an easy game against Kebbi United but we are happy that we are still in the competition. Retaining the Aiteo Cup is a priority for us,” he said.
At the Dan Anyiam stadium in Owerri, Bayelsa United’s Emo James opened the scoring in the 19th minute before Okardi Inikurogba doubled the lead in the 45th minute to end Lobi Stars run in this year’s Aiteo Cup,
It will be recalled that the last encounter between both sides was during the Governor Nyesom Wike Pre-season Tournament last year in Port Harcourt where Bayelsa United emerged the only team that defeated Lobi Stars in one of the semi-final matches.
In the other results, Nasarawa United defeated Plateau United 3-1 while Kano Pillars squeezed past Kebbi United 3-2 on penalties after the game ended 0-0 in regulation time.
The Round of 16 matches of the men’s section of this year’s AITEO Cup
competition will come alive today with potentially explosive encounters at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja, Enyimba Stadium in Aba and Kaduna’s Ahmadu Bello Stadium.
It will surely be a fight-to-finish in Lokoja when respected Tin City lords, Plateau United take the pitch against in-form Nasarawa United from Lafia.
Plateau United, last winners of the Nigeria Professional Football League, pushed Jigawa Golden Stars off the boat in the last round while the Solid Miners got the better of Bendel Insurance.
In Kaduna, it is a northern derby between Katsina United – in the NPFL – and Gombe United, accustomed to the NPFL but presently in the second tier Nigeria National League.
Putting behind him his failed bid to leave Katsina United for home club, Lobi Stars of Makurdi, Atule opened the scoring for Katsina United when he rebounded from the spot in the 17th minute.
He then assisted three goals as the coach Azeez Mohammed tutored side cruised to victory over Wikki Tourists to ease their relegation concerns.
In a chat with Daily Trust yesterday, the former Kebbi United pacy winger said he was happy with his contributions in the convincing victory over Wikki Tourists.
Atule who has five goals and seven assists so far also said despite conceding five goals, the Wikki Tourists gave Katsina United a tough time.