The long wait was over. The excitement was palpable. On the eventful evening of Friday, September 24, 2021 UI was ready to announce a new sport king at the final match of the Inter-hall football competition.
Following Idia hall’s victory over Awo hall in the final of the female category in a penalty shoot-out after battling to 1-1 in regular time, Sultan Bello hall was set to clash with the lions of Baluba. While Bellites had demonstrated unwavering resolve with a double knockout against the postgraduates, it was left to be seen if they could hold on to a winning streak in the final match against Zik hall.
On its part, Zik hall had performed amazingly, winning all its matches squarely with goals from open play, recording only one concession from the spot in the match against Kuti hall, and cheered on to the finals with wide and wild support from the extraordinarily zealous supporters’ club. “Azikiwe, terror on the field” was becoming an unchallengeable axiom.
Through the competition, Zik hall was famous for sealing the game in the first half, and to prove the running fact, Zik hall scored a convincing goal early in the first half. Afo, the masterful midfielder, had curled a mind-bending freekick to which Bello’s goalie could only pull a Karius, deflecting the spinning ball into the back of the net.
Minutes after Dotun and Skinny (Samuel), the incisive forwards had made two testy attempts before the duo pulled another goal when Dotun adroitly converted Skinny’s cross from the left, doubling Zik hall’s lead in the 20th minute, and turning the game into another ‘maracana’ affair.
Five minutes later, Bello hall pulled one back from the spot on account of the referee penalizing an excessive tackle in the box.
In the second segment, the thrilled spectators responded in ‘hoos’ and ‘haas’ to chances and misses, especially as Bello hall mounted pressure to change the tone of the game, but the inspirited Zik players responded with buffering defensiveness, resplendent with the phenomenal artfulness and ferocity in the defensive midfield. No doubt “Baluba’s magnificence” glared brilliantly.
Up in the attack, the unslacking forwards were dauntless. Off Afo’s bedazzling feet to Skinny’s superb controls, the fumbling hands of Bello’s goalie could not prevent another finish in the 55th minute but Bello was saved another scar as the fast-paced ball went off target.
The end of the second half drew near. The crowd was enlivened and the clouds were literally gathering. Zik hall was cooking. Afo’s feet worked their magic cutting the ball through Bello’s defense line, Bello’s goalie was out to make a save but Skinny’s swift feet found the ball and with startling dexterity directed the ball certainly into back of the net, and the SUB pitch erupted!
At that moment, Skinny’s goal was less of nailing Bello hall’s defeat than it was of Zik hall making a statement that Baluba was “undisputed, UI’s sport king” In the full glare of the campus community, Zik hall had clinched the trophy. They say when Zik hall sneezes, UI catches cold, but that evening, Baluba kingdom roared deafeningly, “Azikiwe never ever fails.
