Lagos East Senatorial Unity Cup: Excel, Ogunade Boys Emerge Ikorodu Zone Champions

Kunle ADELABU
-To play other 6 teams from Epe, Somolu at Senatorial level
 

After 4 weeks of intense and tactical football display at the Ikorodu centre of the 1st edition of the Lagos East Senatorial Unity Cup tagged ‘Osinowo Cup’, Excel FC and Ogunade Boys FC have qualified to represent the Ikorodu zone in the finals which would come up at a yet to be announced venue in Lagos.
 
The two teams defeated their opponents in the semi final matches played at the Police Barracks Playing Ground in Ikorodu on Wednesday, February 7, 2018.
 
Excel FC and Ogunade Boys FC would be joining other 6 teams; two from Epe zone and four from Somolu zone, for the final stages of the tournament.
The first Semi final match between Efour FC and Excel FC, which was officiated by Mr Ogunmuyiwa , a FIFA rated referee who had officiated many world cup, African Cup of Nations and league matches, ended 2-5 in favour of the away team(Excel FC).
 
The match  started on a high note but later took a dramatic turn when Efour player in jersey number 21, Oshinga Seyi received a red card.
 
The away team pounced on the numerical advantage to score five goals.The goals were scored by five different players; Oke Olamilekan (no 14), Ogbeji Daniels (no 4), Olanrewaju Hameed (no 23), Oyeyode Tunji ( no 9) and  Shomefun Sodiq (no 12),  in the 24th, 32nd, 50th, 68th and 72nd minute respectively.
 
The home team, which struggled after   one of their players had been sent off, managed to score two consolatory goals in the 37th and 55th minutes. The goals were scored by Eletu Lekan (no 8) and Abiodun Olawale.
 
While Efour received three yellow cards, Excel got one.
 
In the highly entertaining and technical second semi final match, the home team, Golden Dollars FC, were defeated by the well disciplined Ogunade Boys FC.
 
Against all expectations, the home team shocked their opponents with an early goal in the 17th minute Bakare Azeez (on 14) capitalised on the defensive error of his opponents to put his team in the lead.
 
However, Wahab Lawal (on 8) equalized  in the 25th minute to bring Ogunade Boys back into the game while in the 31st minute, Alaja Kehinde (no16) added another goal to give the away team the lead in the first half of the match.
 
Mr Isa Afinni, the centre referee,  was in firm control of the match as he issued one of the Golden Dollars defenders, Adelagun Naiki (3) a well deserved red card in the 55th minute.
This scenario that followed the dismissal took about three minutes to be resolved as the unruly player verbally attacked the centre referee and refused to leave the pitch.
 
And instead of exiting the field vicinity after he finally accepted to leave the pitch, Naiki went to seat with the reserved team against the rule of the game. It took the intervention of one of the organizers and fans before he could leave the field.
 
The highly explosive match also recorded three yellow bookings for the Golden Dollars FC and two for the  Ogunade Boys FC.
 
While many had thought that the match would end in 1-2, Oripelaye made it three for the Ogunade Boys with a superb goal to end the match 1-3.
 
Alhaji Luqman Shonibare, Chairman, Ikorodu Division Football Association (IDFA), MR Tunde Fajebe, General Secretary, IDFA, Chief Isa, IDFA Chieftain, Alhaji Saheed Akinsanya, President Grassroots Football Development Forum, Mr Saheed Ayeni (FIFA retired Referee), Alhaji Idowu Jamiu and Otunba Debo Ogunade, Chairman Destiny Boys FC Ikorodu, Lagos State were among those that watched the two entertaining matches.
 
Other Referees that officiated matches at the Ikorodu centre of the Osinowo Cup were Kabir Oluwatobi Baoku, Sonibare Sadiq, Makinde Kazeem, Oladosu Segun, Ayeni Ridwan, Jokogbola Shile, Alagbe Adeyinka, AKINTOYE Yemisi, Hassan David and Ajenifuja Idris among others.