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• We’re not scared of Promise Keepers – Bala
By Joe Apu
The frenzy that greeted Akwa United’s 3-2 aggregate win over Duke Udi Sunshine Stars of Akure will be carried over by the team’s supporters tomorrow as they throng the Agege Stadium to cheer the Promise Keepers to victory on their date with destiny as they face another stubborn side, Niger Tornadoes.
Already, Akwa United’s coach Abdu Maikaba is not taking chances against his co-finalist debunking claims that Coach Abubakar Bala would not want to play a tactical side like Akwa United.
Minutes after his semi-final victory in Uyo over Sunshine, Coach Maikaba dismissed all claims of his opponent’s expressing fears of encountering him in the final and pointed out that his colleague is playing mind games.
“This is a final that I understand what is at stake. We had hoped to get a continental ticket from the concluded Nigeria Premier Football League but it did not happen. Winning the Federation Cup would guarantee us a place in the CAF Confederations Cup. Everything is at stake here for us and the joy for me would be to win the trophy for Akwa United in my first year. In fact, it would be a faity tale ending.
“There have been talks that Niger Tornadoes would have preferred to play Sunshine for reasons best known to them but I am not for mind games. While not underrating Tornadoes, I hope we win at the end of the day. The players are up to the task and are ready for the antics of Tornadoes,” Maikaba stated.
On the other hand, Tornadoes coach, Abubakar Bala insists his side is not scared of meeting the 2015 winners declaring that his side will not be intimidated by the credentials of Akwa United at this year’s Federation Cup final.
Bala, who had spent days in Uyo monitoring his opponents, confessed that he had seen the loopholes of Akwa united’s form and as such is not worried about the Promise Keepers.“I came to witness the second semi-final match between Akwa United and Sunshine Stars knowing full well that our next opponents in the final will be the winner of this game,” Bala told Goal.
Though, he Bala sees no need to for talking, he believes his players are ready to face Akwa United and book a continental ticket.
Up for grabs on sunday aside from the trophy is a princely sum of N25m for the winner of the Federation Cup courtesy of Aiteo’s sponsorship deal of five years.
