FEDERATION CUP FINAL PREVIEW

Habeeb Akinfegbe

Nigerian FA Cup now known as The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Federation Cup (aka Challenge Cup) is the main football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria. It was created in 1945 as the "Governor's Cup", succeeding the War Memorial Challenge Cup that had been limited to teams from Lagos.

Federation Cup started in 2009 when the Coca cola FA cup was discontinued. The winners are:

2009 :Enyimba FC(Aba) 1-0 Sharks FC(Port Harcourt)
2010 :Kaduna United F.C.3-3 Enyimba FC(Aba)(aet, 3-2 pen)
2011 :Heartland F.C.1-0 Enyimba FC(Aba)
2012 :Heartland F.C.2-1 Lobi Stars
2013 :Enyimba F.C.2-2 Warri Wolves(aet, 5-4 pen)
2014 :Enyimba FC(Aba) 2-1 Dolphin FC(Port Harcourt)

Today's final will be between Aka United and Lobi stars; for the first time, Enyimba will not be involved in the final. Players and officials of Akwa United arrived in Lagos on Thursday for Sunday's Federation Cup final against Lobi Stars and have their eyes firmly fixed on carting home the trophy. The players who have been promised mouth watering incentives by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, should they win the trophy are determined to return home with the top prize.

"We have been motivated to win the trophy by the number one citizen of the state (Governor Emmanuel Udom) and we will give our all against Lobi Stars on Sunday," said Micheal Abasiama. "It's a big opportunity for us to win the first major trophy for the club."We know Lobi Stars inside out as we beat them last weekend in our last game of the season and we are confident of doing that again."

Zachary Baraje's men defeated Nasarawa United 1-0 in the semi-final in Abeokuta to make it to the final.

“We are in a position to make history by winning the Federation Cup for the first time in the history of the club and everyone is excited with this challenge, we know the importance of this game and we are fully ready to face Lobi. We expect a tough game from them, but our determination to win the trophy will see us through.”

The winners of the competition will go home with N2m, while the runners-up will earn N1m.