The grand finale lived up to its expectations as a battle of irresistible force and unmovable objects, with the Ughelli Rovers proving to be impenetrable once again, the rocks of Gilbrathar.
To play football is simple, but to play simple football is hard-Ughelli Rovers once again showed that they were a well-drilled team under Coach Ekete and played the offside game to perfection, whilst same time retaining possession and having total control of the game.
The little chances the opposing team had were easily saved by the goalie, Efe Bartolomew, who displayed a Cassilas-Esque performance, clawing every loose ball in the air with ease; he didn’t spill a single ball in the entire match, ending the match with another clean sheet.
A glorious chance was presented to ughelli rovers as Udori Great scuffed the ball over the post from close range, much to the dismay of the traveling fans.
The match continued after the water break as both teams tried to find an opener, but the first half ended in a stalemate with Ughelli Rovers having most possession with the ball.
The second half started with urgency as the teams showed enthusiasm to find a breakthrough, but it was a tactical battle between the teams from Delta Central.
An unsung hero for Ughelli Rovers was Samuel Pare, who screened the defense from the holding midfield, intercepting every pass, breaking up plays, and being a nuisance in the middle of the pitch—a true warrior.
The opener came in the 74th minute as the Lord of the Manor with twinkle toes, Udori Great, exchanged a quick one-two with Abednego and mesmerized the defenders with his trickery before cooling and slotting it into the bottom left corner.
The players and fans were sent into ecstasy as they knew they were minutes away from clinching their first trophy in their first finals.
The remaining minutes were a battle as the Marines tried to find an opener, but they couldn’t get past the defense of the Ughelli Rovers, who locked the doors against their opponents and prevented every goal-scoring opportunity—the Italian Catenaccio.
Full time came, and it was a state of euphoria for the fans and players as they won the first trophy for the club, the Bet9ja Asaba Super Cup.
Samuel Ifechukwude,
Media, Ughelli Rovers FC,
Reporting from Asaba.
