High flying FC Nwosu reached the Nigeria Ex-Internationals Cup final after a nailbiting 6-5 penalty shootout win over FC Agbai on Friday.
After an enthralling tie at the Legacy Pitch, goalkeeper Samuel Oriola proved decisive with three saves for the Henry Nwosu mentored side in the shoot-out.
Etiti Solomon’s improvised finish put FC Agbai ahead on 50 minutes, but FC Nwosu levelled afterwards as striker Samson Akinyoola forced goalkeeper Obaze Miracle to an error as the net minder mistakenly put the ball into his own goal post.
Kehinde Ibrahim scored the winning spot-kick after the game had finished 1-1 following 90 minutes of football in Friday’s semi-final.
Sixteen kicks were needed in the penalty shoot-out and FC Nwosu advanced to face FC Ekpo at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Sunday.
It would be recalled that the legendary Nwosu was the youngest member of the Green Eagles’ (now Super Eagles) victorious 1980 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, and scored the only goal for Nigeria at the 1980 Olympics. He also played in the 1982, 1984 and 1988 AFCON tournaments, finishing runners up in the latter two. He had 60 caps for the Nigeria senior national team.
Nwosu was an assistant for former Super Eagles teammate Samson Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Nigeria won the silver medal. He was an assistant to Festus Onigbinde who took the Super Eagles to 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan. He also managed the Golden Eaglets, Union Bank and Gateway United in the past.
Meanwhile, FC Ekpo proved too strong for FC Agali as the former picked a 2-0 victory in the second semi-final.
Striker Deji Alo slotted the ball past goalkeeper Gbadamosi Sulaimon for the opener on the half hour mark.
Richard Soaje put the game beyond FC Agali with another goal for the Friday Ekpo tutored outfit.
Dangerman Hassan Aliu tried to reduce the deficit but his effort struck the woodwork.
Diminutive Ekpo featured for clubs like Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland), Mobil Pegasus (defunct), Abiola Babes (defunct), Leventis United (defunct) and Shell FC of Gabon during his playing days.
Ekpo was a member of the Iwuanyanwu Nationale team that lost to Algerian side Entente de Setif, in the 1988 final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs now known as the CAF Champions League.
He represented Nigeria at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal and scored the first goal in the 2-1 win against Cameroon in the third place match.
The Nigeria Ex-Internationals Cup, an initiative of the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) is proudly supported by leading gaming company, Bet9ja.
Other partners are Owu, a foremost sportswear company in Nigeria, Brila FM, Mavlon FC, Mr. Olusola Akinlade, Liigi League, Olafiranye Sports Foundation and Mr. Mahmud Dawodu.
