Matchday 12 of the 1xBet Community Cup delivered a series of thrilling encounters, as teams in Group B, C, and D battled for crucial points.
In Group B, Ilupeju Ekiti Pillar secured a vital 2-0 victory over Team 360, thanks to two second-half strikes by Jibola Familoye in the 56th and stoppage time.
With this win, Ilupeju Ekiti Pillar kept their hopes alive, now needing only a draw in their final group match against Collins Edwin SC to secure a place in the knockout stage. Unfortunately, the defeat marked the end of the road for Team 360, who bowed out of the tournament after losing all four of their matches.
Group C saw a hard-fought contest between Emiloju FC and Ikorodu Eagles FC, ending in a 1-1 draw. Azeez Bakare put Ikorodu Eagles ahead in the 30th minute, but Emiloju FC’s Moshood Adebayo leveled the score with a well-taken goal in the 55th minute. This result means that Ikorodu Eagles FC and Young Strikers are officially out of the tournament, as they fall short of the required points to advance.
Over in Group D, Diadem Stallion edged past China Sunstars with a 2-1 victory. Oripelaye Isa opened the scoring for Diadem in the 69th minute, but their lead was short-lived as China Sunstars’ Blame Weah equalized just a minute later.
However, Isa’s late effort in the dying minutes secured all three points for Diadem Stallion. With this defeat, China Sunstars now face a do-or-die encounter against 36 Lion FC in their final match, needing at least a draw to advance. Anything less will see Diadem Stallion, 36 Lion, and Domino Hotspur moving on to the next stage, leaving China Sunstars behind.
As the tournament nears the knockout phase, the tension is palpable, with several teams still fighting for survival.
