Under-dogs ABS FC beat their local rivals Kwara United 5-4 on penalties to renew another clash with Gombe United in the final of the 8th edition of the Ogunjobi Gold Cup Pre-Season Tournament in Ilorin.
The Ilorin Derby lived up to its hype as it ended in a 4-goal thriller, thus needing penalty shoot-out to decide who goes through to Friday’s finale.
The first 30 minutes of the game was a drab one as both goalkeepers didn’t have much to do as there were no real threats at goal.
The real chance then came in the 35th for Kwara United but ABS FC goalie Nasiru Toheeb stood tall to deny Chinedu Ufere the first goal of the game with a point-blank save while Issa Mogaji put his effort wide from the rebound.
It was then Kwara United against Toheeb, as six minutes later, Ufere with another glorious chance to give the Harmony Boys the lead but his low drive shot was put to the corner by lanky shot-stopper, who had his reflexes to thank for the fabulous save.
Adeleke Ajibola should have made it 1-0 in the 43rd minute but his left foot shot at goal was not strong enough to beat Toheeb.
ABS FC in the 45th with their first real chance almost shocked Kwara United after Kale Aliami rattled the crossbar with a sublime volley, that left goalkeeper Iwu in ewe.
A rejuvenated Kwara United took the game to ABS FC as they got the breakthrough in the 46th minute after Abiola Lateef nodded home a cross from Alamoyo Sodiq to put scores at 1-0.
The Saraki Boys leveled the scoreline with a superb goal from a set-piece from Samuel Oyedeji in the 61st minute.
Oyedeji’s goal proved to be the tonic ABS FC as then took the lead in the 76th minute after David Okoromi deflected a cross from Oyedeji into Kwara United goal for 2-1.
Sensing defeat, Kwara United went for the jugular in the 81st minute as Shola Oketade made it 2-2 after his shot at the edge of box beat Toheeb in goal.
The game then went to penalty shoot out as no goal was added to the four goals scored in regular time.
Goalkeeper Toheeb turned hero after he saved Kwara Utd first and last spot-kicks to send his team to their first-ever final of the Ogunjobi Gold Cup.
It will be a second meeting between ABS FC and Gombe United in the tourney as the Saraki Boys were 2-1 victorious when they met in the group stages.
