2023 beach soccer league: Ibom BSC shocks Kada BSC, wins by penalties 6-5
From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Debutant Ibom BSC shocked Kada BSC, winning 6-5 penalty kicks in the concluded phase 2 of the 2023 Beach Soccer League.
After five games without a win, Ibom BSC finally picked its first point of the campaign against holders and hosting team, Kada BSC.
In the first period, Ibom BSC took a 2-1 lead over Kada Stars with Effiong Eyo and Abdulazeez Fatai scoring for the Akwa Ibom-based side as Dozie Frank also find the back of the net for the league holders.
Kada BSC forced the game into extra time with the scoreline at 3-3 leading to penalties after the extra time.
While Ibom BSC converted all six spot kicks through Jude Uwaoma, Effiong Eyo, Elijah Eboh, Emem Obong, Sani Hassan, and Abdulazeez Fatai, Kada BSC scored five penalties as Momoh Sani missed his own kicks, given Fatai the chance to score the winning penalty for Ibom boys. With the first win, the debutant luckily picked its first point.
Also, Nmanko Patigi BSC secured its second win of the 2nd phase with a 3-2 victory against Kebbi United BSC handing the debutants and second team from Kebbi State its second consecutive loss.
Kebbi United had suffered a 4-1 loss in penalties to Kebbi BSC the previous day.
Azeez Lawal and Jamiu Kunle’s brace lifted the Kwara State-based side to another win as Hassan Abdullahi and Umar Sadiq’s goal proved to be a mere consolation.
Kebbi BSC had earlier walked over Smart City BSC as the Lagos-based side couldn’t appear at Phase 2.
Speaking to newsmen, Captain of Ibom BSC, Elijah Eboh said: “the experience that we had at this competition was a tough one. Our first game was very hard for us to play although we went back home to train hard and get victory. I thank God we had the victory today.
“We have played them in the first round in Kebbi State. They scored us with a lot of goals while we didn’t score and went back to train. We were able to get the tactics to play them coming back as a team and family.
“We expect to win all our games in the next phase. When we played them in Kebbi, we didn’t know how to start and keep the ball because of the sand, as it was our first time playing on a sandy pitch. We went back and we learnt our lessons.”