Kano Pillars FC U-15 side has progressed into the quarter-final stage of the NPFL Laliga U-15 Youth League currently holding in Ikenne, Ogun State, with both ValueJet and MTN playing pivotal roles as competition sponsor and elite partners respectively.
Bashir Muhammad brightened Pillars’ hopes of qualification when he gave the Sai Masu Gida side the lead in the first half, creating a scare for MFM FC who earlier booked their qualification to the next round, with 6 points from the first two games.
Two second half goals from Idris Khamis and Shamsudeen Mohammed sealed the victory for Kano lads, leaving MFM FC’s fate hanging in the balance, at least, until after the group decider between Lobi Stars FC and Plateau United FC.
In his post-match reaction the MFM FC, Adesina Mustapha stated that: “We only had a bad day in the office today, I know this is not how we play even on the average. I guess the boys actually became reluctant and loss of focus set in, probably as a result of the fact that we’ve already amassed 6 points from our first two games.
The match between Plateau United FC and Lobi Stars was meant to decide who joins Kano Pillars as the runners up to the quarter-finals from the group.
Lobi Stars FC had to play for nothing but pride after losing their first two games in the competition while Plateau United needed a victory by any margin to stake a claim for a quarter-final ticket.
The young lads from Jos considered two quick goals from Lobi Stars via some expensive goalkeeping errors and a second half consolation was not enough to see them through.
It was a battle of supremacy between Shooting Stars and Katsina United FC to determine the group winners, as both of them were tied on the same points going into the last group games of the competition.
After a barren first half that was characterized by physical abilities and individual skills from both teams, Katrina United took the lead through Kasimu Abdullahi’s strike from 30 yards out, but with about two minutes left to play in regulation time, Samuel Ajayi drew his side level with a swift volley that rendered the goalkeeper helpless.
The coach of shooting stars U-15 side had the following to say during the post-match press briefing: “We gave the match our best and I had faith in the boys that they would deliver because we had a decent preparation coming into this competition.”
