KANO PILLERS DANGERMAN EBUKA ODENIGBO FIRES UAM TILLERS INTO QUARTER FINALS

From L-R: Mr. Emeka Obasi; Zone Head South, Stanbic IBTC Bank, presenting Man of The Match award to Captain Atako Manuchi of RSU Dolphins during the Higher Institutions Football League match between RSU Dolphins and UNICAL Malabites at RSU Sports Arena, Rivers State...On Wednesday

…as UNICAL MALABITES, ESUT EXPLORERS and BUK STALLIONS ALSO ADVANCE

2018 defending champions, UAM Tillers, runners up, UNICAL Malabites, ESUT Explorers and BUK Stallions have all advanced to the quarter finals of 2019 Higher Institutions Football League season on Wednesday.

UAM Tillers were visitors in Wudil, the home of Kano side, KUST pyramids and it took the champions only 15 minutes to impress their presence on the home side with an early goal from team captain, Asen Shater. The home side came fighting from all sides until jersey number seven, Nura Muhammed brought the pyramids back on level in the 22^nd minute.

KUST Pyramids delighted their home fans again in the 29^th minute with a goal from jersey number ten, Nura Deneji throwing the crowd into great excitement but the joy was short-lived as Kano Pillar’s striker and HiFL 2018 most valuable player, Ebuka Odenigbo terrorized the KUST defense consistently and finally got an equalizer in the 96^th minute to send the defending champions to the quarter final after winning 4 – 2 on aggregate.

In Port-Harcourt, 2018 runners up, UNICAL Malabites advanced to the quarter finals despite losing to RSU Dolphins, thanks to a first leg 3-1 home win. Atako Manuchi of RSU Dolphins scored the only goal of the encounter in the 7^th minute, however his effort was not enough to take his team through to the next round.

Elsewhere in Uyo, ESUT Explorers cruised past UNIUYO Tuskites on their home soil. Jersey number sixteen, Uzoma Williams scored a late 94^th minute goal to see the ENUGU side go through on a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win.

In Kano, bitter rivals ABU Nobles and BUK Stallions battled tough for survival, but it was BUK who prevailed courtesy of a Kabiru Haliru 82^nd minute strike to nick the last spot in a star studded Quarter Finals lineup.

The league is organised by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing in partnership with the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA). The league is sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Indomie Nigeria and Premier Cool. The top 32 Universities from NUGA-member institutions will play over a period of 21 weeks, with the final four billed for the Agege Stadium, Lagos.