In a fiercely contested second semi-final of the Men’s Football event at the National Sports Festival 2024, Remo Stars standouts Ahmed Akinyele and Joseph Abba played pivotal roles as Ogun State defeated the Golden Eaglets (U-17 National Team) to book a place in the final.
After a balanced first 20 minutes, Ogun State broke the deadlock when defender Ahmed Akinyele capitalized on a goalkeeping lapse to convert a free-kick delivery into the net. Despite increased pressure from the Golden Eaglets, the first half ended with Ogun holding a 1-0 lead.
The host team resumed the second half with greater composure and control, which paid off in the 61st minute as striker Joseph Abba finished a well-worked team move to make it 2-0, scoring his fifth goal of the tournament.
The Golden Eaglets mounted a late challenge, pulling one back through John Oguwche in the 80th minute, but Ogun State held firm to seal a hard-fought 2-1 victory and a spot in the final.
In the earlier semi-final clash, Muhammad Abdullahi’s 62nd-minute strike was enough to hand Kwara State a narrow 1-0 win over Kaduna State, securing their place in the gold medal match.
The Final and Third-Place matches are scheduled for May 27, with the final to be held at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, while the third-place clash will take place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
