The coach of Ilorin-based Kwara United FC, Wasiu Sanni, has turned his focus on this year’s Federation Cup final and stressed that it is time for The Afonja Warriors to make history by winning the trophy for their state and fans.
Sports247 reports that no team from Kwara State has ever won this competition, and the last time a squad from Afonjaland had the pleasure of being in the final was when defunct Alyufsalam Rocks lost 2-0 to Rangers International of Enugu in 1976.
However, after guiding his side to a 1-0 win over Rangers during Tuesday’s semi-final played at Mobolaji Johnson Arena at Onikan, Lagos, Sanni confessed that he now wants to go all the way to the trophy and take the current set of players into the record books.
Somewhat fortunately for him and his wards, their opponents in the upcoming final are lower division Nigerian National League (NNL) side, Abakaliki FC of Ebonyi State, and Sanni is of a view that The Afonja Warriors have a golden chance to finally take the former Challenge Cup to Ilorin after several years of waiting for them making a return to the grand finale.
Sanni, who previously played for Kwara United and captained them for several years, retorted: “In the whole state, it was around 40 years ago that we last got to this stage. So, because of this, everybody is excited, and we thank God for the opportunity. Kwara people are happy and I am happy too, as a Kwaran.”
Although some analysts are already giving the game to Abakaliki, who sent Katsina United, Enyimba of Aba, and Nasarawa United of Lafia packing in the earlier rounds, Sanni concluded by stressing that his players deserve to go all the way because they worked hard to reach this stage.
“I believe it is well deserved. It has been a long time ago that we last got to this stage, and since we are now there, we want to win it this time around,” Sanni declared emphatically.
