It was a day of mixed fortunes for host institution, the University of Jos (UNIJOS), as their male and female hockey teams produced contrasting results in the ongoing 27th Nigerian University Games (NUGA).
The UNIJOS female hockey team found their spark again with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), thanks to a third-quarter strike from Joy Ebene. The win not only restored pride after their earlier defeat to UNIBEN but also reignited their campaign on home soil.
Read Also: Nigeria Armwrestling Federation Hails Inclusion Of Para Armwrestling In 1st West Africa Para Games — Set To Make Historic Appearance In Abeokuta
Captain Shittu Aminat admitted that the team had a slow start due to a numerical disadvantage in the opening stages.
“Most of our players didn’t come on time, we started with eight inside, but had a full team by the second quarter,” she revealed. “There were still lapses, but we tried our best. We are stronger than the opponent we met yesterday; it was just some errors in defence which we corrected today.”
Her leadership and Ebene’s match-winner ultimately steadied the UNIJOS ship, turning a chaotic beginning into a composed finish.
However, the script flipped in the men’s division, where UNIMAID earned a measure of revenge by narrowly defeating UNIJOS 1–0. The result served as redemption for the Maiduguri side, who were coming off a humbling 5–1 loss to Tai Solarin federal University of Education (TASFUED).
UNIMAID captain Jibrin Buba attributed their success to improved defensive organization and renewed focus.
“We corrected our defence line. The UNIJOS team was not tough, though we didn’t perfect our goal strategy — we could have scored more,” he said with a smile of relief.
For UNIJOS, whose men had earlier edged Bayero University, Kano (BUK) 1–0, the defeat was a wake-up call.
Captain Obed Nannim praised UNIMAID’s preparation but vowed that his team remained in the medal hunt.
“They trained more and had better equipment. But we are still optimistic — anything can happen. We’re aiming for gold,” he said.
As the hockey competition intensifies, both UNIJOS sides remain in contention, with the women showing renewed confidence and the men determined to bounce back. The home crowd, meanwhile, continues to provide the extra push — proof that at the NUGA Games, every goal counts and every mistake matters.
, as their male and female hockey teams produced contrasting results in the ongoing 27th Nigerian University Games (NUGA).){kind=link}