THE head coaches of both Abia Warriors and El-Kanemi Warriors are confident of securing victory in Saturday’s President Federation Cup men’s final in Lagos.
The two Warrior sides will go to battle at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan on Saturday with the prestigious trophy and a spot in the CAF Confederation Cup on offer.
Nigeria Premier Football League side Abia Warriors have arrived in Lagos for the epic showdown and their head coach Bethel Orji has no doubts that his Umuahia-based side will prevail.
“We are here and we’re highly motivated. We are all elated. I thank God for the turn around in the fortunes of the team, and I am delighted to be playing my first Cup final as a coach,” Orji told thenff.com in Lagos yesterday.
A former Cup winner as a player himself, Orji will be banking on forwards Samson Obi and Sunday Megwo when Abia Warriors confront the two-time Cup winners on Saturday evening.
“We are prepared for the game, physically, mentally and psychologically. The players are in high spirits; they are rearing to go,” he added.
Abia Warriors reached the men’s final of the President Federation Cup four days after guaranteeing their stay in the NPFL for the 12th consecutive season and are looking to crown the campaign with a first-ever Federation Cup success.
In the same vein, El-Kanemi Warriors head coach Aliyu Zubairu has credited hard work for his team’s progress in the competition and believes the same value will see the NPFL returnees clinch a third Nigeria Cup title in Lagos on Saturday.
“Hard work has been our mainstay. Everyone works for the other, including the players on the pitch. It was a tough league season, and our real objective at the beginning of the season was to gain promotion back to the NPFL,” Zubairu said.
“However, after the round of 16, we suddenly realized that with more hard work, we could go all the way to the final.
“I commend the players for not only ensuring promotion back to the top flight, but also reaching the President Federation Cup final. Yet, it is not over until it is over.
“We are here and we are determined to wrest the title. We have had some days to rest and we are going to work hard to deliver the trophy to our number one supporter, Governor Babagana Umaru Zulum.”
Founded in the late mid-1980s, by the football-passionate then military governor of Borno State, Col. Abdulmumini Aminu (who would later serve as Chairman of then NFA between 1996 and 1999), El-Kanemi Warriorswon their first Nigeria Cup in 1991, when they defeated Kano Pillars 3-2 in the first-ever all-northern final at the National Stadium, Surulere. The following year, the Warriors successfully defended the trophy when they edged out Stationery Stores 1-0 at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi.
In their third final in 2001, El-Kanemi Warriors lost 1-0 to Dolphins of Port Harcourt at the National Stadium, Lagos.
