2016 Federation Cup final: Nasarawa, Ifeanyi Ubah players, officials talk tough

Today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Nasarawa United and FC IfeanyiUbah are set for a titanic battle to claim this year’s Federation Cup. Tribunesport’s OLAWALE OLANIYAN speaks with the gladiators who are set to make history should they win the oldest soccer competition in the land formerly known as the Challenge Cup.

 

IfeanyiUbah player, Tope Orelope

There is nothing stopping us from beating Nasarawa United in the final; they are beatable. I know they have good players who are up to the task but I believe we have a good team that can stop them. We are going to make the people of Anambra State proud by winning the Federation Cup for the first time for the state. It’s very painful to me that I will not be able to play the match because I am Cup-tied having started with Shooting Stars Sports Club this season before I joined this team mid-season. I am so optimistic that we will win the Cup for our proprietor, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah.

 

Ifeanyi Ubah player, Onyekachi Bright

We are fully prepared for our first ever final of the Federation Cup. As you can see, we are still working towards perfection and we are in high spirits ahead of the match. We are going to perfect everything the coaching crew has taught us and show it in Lagos. We are ready to score as many goals and surely, the Cup will be ours in Jesus name.

 

Ifeanyi Ubah’s Team Manager, Samuel Nwogu

We are working very hard and that is why we came here [Ibadan] for closed camping at the Lead City University. I believe we have everything at our disposal to carry the day and anything short of victory is like passing out without a good result.

The best thing to do for our financier, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, is to win the trophy for him because he has invested so much in the club and we are happy that is why we have a good games village with a lot of facilities that make the place conducive. This is a man that does not owe us a kobo and the only thing we can do to pay him back is to win the trophy for him on Sunday in Lagos and make the people of Anambra and our fans happy.

 

Nasarawa United chairman, Issac Danladi

I have absolute confidence in my team. This set of players would make history by winning the trophy for the state for the first time. I know that it will not be an easy ride against our opponents, but I believe our players are battle-ready for any obstacle in the final. The players are well-prepared for the final and are focused having realised the importance attached to the Federation Cup and for the fact that the state has not won the trophy before now.

The same zeal we used which earned us victory over Enyimba in the semi-final in Ibadan is what we are going to demonstrate again in Lagos against IfeanyiUbah. The players, the coaches and other officials are ready to make history on Sunday in Lagos.

 

Nasarawa United coach, Kabir Dogo

This is the final of all finals as we are ready to play the game of our live. We need the trophy so much to celebrate the creation of the state and I will be very happy to win the title for this great team. We came here [Ibadan] to prepare adequately for the final and the moral support we’ve received so far has been very encouraging. I am from Kwara State but Ibadan is also my home because their fans really supported us against Enyimba and that is one of the reasons why we moved our camp down to Ibadan ahead of the final. With our present squad, I believe we will go places. From the first day, I knew we are blessed with a team that can wrest the title and thank God that we are playing in the Federation Cup final. I’m optimistic that we will be crowned as champions on Sunday, God willing.