The two sides playing in today’s final of the Federation Cup, FC IfeanyiUbah and Nasarawa United may not be crowd pulling sides, but the game will serve as another opportunity for an indigenous coach to prove a point once more.
Billed for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Nasarawa United will file out under a local coach, Kabir Suleiman Dogo, while FC IfeanyiUbah will be tutored by Bulgarian Mitko Dobrev, who is being assisted by another foreigner, Brazilian Rahael Everton.
Dogo led the Solid Miners to the CAF Confederation Cup early this year before they lost in the second round after finishing among the best three teams last season.
Aside the trophy at stake, the eventual winners will also go home with the ticket to represent Nigeria in the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup competition.
In the just-concluded Nigeria Professional Football League season, Nasarawa finished 10th on the table, but proved bookmakers wrong by getting to the final of the Federation Cup, otherwise known as the Challenge Cup, at the expense of two-time African champions, Enyimba FC of Aba.
On the other hand, the Anambra Warriors became a rejuvenated side this season posting superlative results but could only finish fourth on the log. However, their qualification for the final of the Federation Cup has equally revived their hope of playing in the continental championship next year.
Dogo, perhaps, is playing against Dobrev, a coach who understands Nigerian football very well having coached Heartland FC for two seasons as well as Ghana’s Accra Hearts of Oak before his move to IfeanyiUbah, formerly Gabros United.
Meanwhile, the financier of the Nnewi-based side, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, has made an arrangemenent for free transportation of their fans to the stadium today.
“We will provide transportation for interested football enthusiasts to the stadium for free.
“There will be buses at strategic points for fans residing in Okokomaiko, Badagry, Iyana Iba, Volks and environs, as well as Trade fair complex along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Oshodi and other parts of Lagos State,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.
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