Team Ogun State has secured a spot in the semi-finals of the football event at the ongoing National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, after a thrilling 2-1 win over Team Delta in the quarter-finals.
The host team struck first through Remo Stars winger Jabbar Malik, who broke the deadlock in the 21st minute with a fine finish that sent the home supporters into early celebration. However, the joy was short-lived as Team Delta responded swiftly. Just three minutes later, Qudus netted the equalizer, bringing the game to 1-1 before the break.
The second half was an intense battle, with both sides pushing for a decisive goal. Ogun State, spurred on by a vocal home crowd, maintained pressure and composure until the 86th minute when Musa Abdullahi delivered the moment of magic. The forward completed a well-worked team move to score the match-winner, sending the stadium into a frenzy.
Reacting after the game, Ogun’s head coach praised the team’s resilience: “This victory is a testament to the fighting spirit of our boys. They never gave up, and now we are just one win away from the final.”
With the win, Ogun will now face Team Kaduna in the semi-finals, as they continue their push for gold in front of their fans.
In other quarter-final matches, the U-17 National Team (Flamingoes) crushed Ebonyi State with a 5-0 rout, while Kwara State defeated Imo State 2-0 to advance.
Quarter-Final Results:
Ebonyi State 0 – 5 Flamingoes
Kwara State 2 – 0 Imo State
Ogun State 2 – 1 Delta State
Upcoming Semi-Final Fixtures:
Kwara State vs U-17 National Team
Ogun State vs Kaduna State
