THE finals of the men’s and women’s AITEO Cup (Nigeria’s FA Cup) will be held in Benin City on Sunday.
The recently refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, which successfully hosted the National Sports Festival in April, will play host to the pinnacle of Cup football as Nasarawa United face Bayelsa United in the men’s final, and Robo Queens battle Bayelsa Queens in the women’s final.
Second-tier Bayelsa United have been the revelation of the men’s AITEO Cup this year, seeing off top flight sides Enugu Rangers, Lobi Stars and Rivers United in the earlier rounds.
Bayelsa will hope to become the first non-Nigeria Professional Football League side to win the cup in 20 years. But they are up against a Nasarawa United side that need the cup in order to claim a spot on the continent after just missing out on the CAF Confederation Cup ticket via NPFL placing.
Nasarawa United are also in the quest for their first major trophy in their 18 years of existence.
In the women’s game, Bayelsa Queens routed perennial champions Rivers Angels by five goals in the semi-finals, while Lagos-based Robo Queens of Lagos edge past Edo Queens 5-3 on penalties to reach the big decider.
The women’s final will commence at 4pm, with the men’s final starting two hours later.
The winners of the men’s final will receive N25 million in prize money, while the women’s winners will be rewarded with N10 million.
The men’s runners-up will pocket N10 million, with the losing finalists in the women’s game getting N5 million.
