The Nigerian Football Federation Cup (Aiteo Cup for sponsorship purposes) began this past weekend at venues around the country. After having clubs hosting matches last year, the NFF has reverted back to the old format where every match is at a neutral venue. And the round of 16 will be a group stage with the top two moving on to the quarter finals. Akwa United opened their defense in emphatic style. Three NPFL clubs crashed out: Lobi Stars, Heartland and MFM. Draw for round of 32 is Wednesday 12 Sep. Akwa United 7 Hope of Glory 0 Kano Pillars Feeders 2 Crown FC 2 (4-6 after penalties) Kwara United 3 All Stars of MKO Stadium 1 Nyansagwag FC 1 FC IfeanyiUbah 5 Ugwa United 2 Kano Pillars 3 Doma United 1 J Atete FC 4 Dan Masani FC 0 Go Round FC 3 (W/O) Gombe United 1 Dynamite FC 1 (3-5 after penalties) Confine FC 1 Heartland FC 1 (4-2 after penalties) Shooting Stars 0 Supreme Court 0 (3-4 after penalties) Wikki Tourists 3 Crime Busters 0 (W/O) George Turner FC 1 Nasarawa United 2 Katsina United Feeders 3 Jigawa Golden Stars 1 Smart City 1 Abia Warriors 2 Aklosendi FC 0 FRSC FC 0 (5-4 after penalties) Katsina United 3 Madagali United 0 (W/O) Rangers International 0 Niger Tornadoes Feeders 0 (5-4 after penalties) Sunshine Stars 3 FC IfeanyiUbah Feeders 1 Igho FC 0 Kogi United 4 Rivers United 6 Gusau Eleven 0 Samba FC 0 El-Kanemi Warriors 3 Bayelsa United 4 Fasbir FC 1 Lobi Stars 1 Standard FC 1 (5-6 after penalties) ABS FC 1 Kebbi United 1 (2-3 after penalties) Yobe Desert Stars 2 DMD FC 1 Sokoto United 0 MFM 0 (4-3 after penalties) Bendel Insurance 0 Remo Stars Junior 1 Zabgai 0 Plateau United 2 Ekiti United 1 Mighty Jets 2 Wasiu Alabelewe FC 0 Enyimba FC 3 FC Minda 1 Osun United 2 Chief of Staff FC 0 Niger Tornadoes 3 (W/O)
Round of 32 draw Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) v Aklosendi FC (Nasarawa), Go Round FC (Rivers) v Supreme Court FC (FCT), Kebbi United (Kebbi) v Enugu Rangers (Enugu) Mighty Jets (Plateau) v Kwara United (Kwara) Dynamite Force (Edo) v Enyimba (Abia) Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe) v Plateau United (Plateau) Kano Pillars (Kano) v Sokoto United (Sokoto) Remo Stars FC (Ogun) v Rivers United (Rivers) Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) v Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) Kogi United FC (Kogi) v Niger Tornadoes (Niger) Confine FC (Akwa Ibom) v Sunshine Stars (Ondo) Crown FC (Oyo) v Abia Warriors (Abia) El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) v Katsina United Feeders FC (Katsina) Osun United (Osun) v Katsina United (Katsina) FC Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra) v J. Atete FC (Delta) Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) v Standard FC (Kaduna) Matches scheduled for Sunday Sep 16, except for the Enyimba match as they will be Rwanda that day.
Round of 32 results Akwa United with another big victory 4 more NPFL clubs fall: Niger Tornadoes, Yobe Desert Stars, Go Round FC and FC Ifeanyi Ubah. Akwa United 5 Aklosendi FC 2 Kebbi United 0 Rangers International 3 Kogi United 1 Niger Tornadoes 0 Mighty Jets 1 Kwara United 3 Nasarawa United 3 Standard FC 0 Yobe Desert Stars 0 Plateau United 1 Remo Stars Junior 0 Rivers United 3 (W/O) Kano Pillars 2 Sokoto United 0 Osun United 0 Katsina United 1 Wikki Tourists 4 Bayelsa United 1 Go Round FC 1 Supreme Court 1 (3-5 after penalties) Dynamite Force Vs Enyimba FC (Rescheduled for Wednesday, 19/09) FC IfeanyiUbah 0 J. Atete FC 1 Crown FC 1 Abia Warriors 3 Cofine FC 0 Sunshine Stars 2 El-Kanemi Warriors 1 Katsina United Feeders 0
Enyimba 2 Dynamite 0 Round of 16 will be played as a group stage. 13 Premier League and 3 National League teams.
Round of 16 groups. Games are supposed to be played Monday Sep 24, but Enyimba have a game on the 23rd and the three NNL squads have games on the 22nd. In other Nigerian Football news: Amaju Pinnick retained the NFF presidency, becoming the first incumbent to do so. Junior Lokosa cashes in. The Kano Pillars striker won the NPFL Golden Boot with his 19 goals, and was rewarded with a check for N3.8 million by sponsor Eunisell Chemicals. Oh by the way, the NPFL Golden Boot award has a sponsor.
Group stage complete, tables and QF draw GROUP A P W D L GF GA GD P Enyimba 3 2 1 0 7 1 +6 7 Katsina United 3 2 0 1 5 3 +2 6 Plateau United 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4 J Atete. 3 0 0 3 3 12 -9 0 GROUP B P W D L GF GA GD P Rangers 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1 5 El-kanemi 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4 Sunshine Stars 3 0 3 0 1 1 0 3 Supreme Court 3 0 2 1 1 2 -1 2 GROUP C P W D L GF GA GD P Kwara Utd 3 2 0 1 7 3 +4 6 Pillars 3 2 0 1 6 5 +1 6 Abia W 3 2 0 1 4 6 -2 6 Rivers Utd 3 0 0 3 2 5 -3 0 GROUP D P W D L GF GA GD P Nasarawa 3 2 1 0 3 0 +3 7 Akwa United 3 2 0 1 2 2 0 6 Wikki T. 3 1 0 2 1 2 -1 3 Kogi United 3 0 2 1 0 2 -2 0 QUATER-FINAL PAIRINGS GOMBE CENTRE Enyimba FC [emoji739] Kano Pillars LAGOS CENTRE Katsina United [emoji739] Kwara United ABA CENTRE Nasarawa United [emoji739] El-Kanemi Warriors KANO. CENTRE Enugu Rangers [emoji739] Akwa United
Quarters! Rangers 1 Akwa United 1 (Rangers advance 4-2 on penalties) Kastina United 3 Kwara United 0 El Kanemi 1 Nasawara United 0 Kano Pillars 4 Enyimba 2 Semifinals (Oct 10) Rangers v Nasawara (in Kano) Kastina vs Kano Pillars (in Lagos)
Semifinals! Kano Pillars 2 Kastina United 2 (Kano advance 4 - 1 on penalties) Enugu Rangers 4 Nasawara United 2 (Rangers came back from 2-0 down) The Aiteo Cup Final will take place Wednesday October 24 at Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State.
Aiteo Cup Finals Enugu Rangers 3 Kano Pillars 3 (AET) Rangers come back from 3-0 down after 76 minutes to level the score. Rangers win 4-2 on penalties. Rangers will participate in the the 2018-2019 CAF Confederation Cup.