Akwa United Football Club beat Dakkada FC 2-1 to emerge 2022 Akwa Ibom State FA Cup champions, thus winning the tournament for a record 13th time.
First-half goals by David Onovo and substitute Franklin Matibgave Akwa United a healthy 2-0 lead before a consolatory goal by Edidiong Ezekiel just before the break reduced the deficit but the Promise Keepers held on to claim a historic victory in a scintillating final decided at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday.
Friday’s victory was the third time in a row that Akwa United had won the State FA Cup and they have been awarded the trophy for keeps for achieving such feat.
The 2022 FA Cup triumph was coach Ayodeji Ayeni’s first trophy for Akwa United since joining the club in March.
Akwa United and Dakkada FC having made it to the final of the Akwa Ibom State FA Cup also qualify to represent the state at the National Federation Cup competition billed to kick off next month.
Two-time Federation Cup champions, Akwa United who are 8th on the NPFL table will be hoping to lift the national trophy for the third time and qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup later in the year.
Both Akwa United and Dakkada FC will face-off again in the Nigeria Professional Football League on Sunday at the same venue on match-day 34 fixture.
The senior special assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on sports, Elder Paul Bassey, while presenting the FA trophy to the Promise Keepers, applauded both teams for making the final memorable, noting that the match renacted the rivalry between the two premier league teams.
Bassey who is the chairman of Akwa United, charged them to translate the standard and competitiveness at the national stage when they go for the Aiteo Cup finals to lift the cup which Akwa United had won in 2015 and 2017.
He congratulated his team for winning the cup for keeps after clinching it for three times consecutively.
The governor’s aide commended the FA for organizing a colourful ceremony and extolled football stakeholders and fansof both teams for joining in the event.
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