Phase 2 of the 2023 Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL) rounded up on Monday in Kaduna with the upset of the season coming in the last game of Matchday 6.
After five games without a win, debutant, Ibom BSC finally picked its first point of the campaign against holders and host, Kada BSC.
How it happened
Ibom BSC took a 2-1 lead over Kada Stars at the end of the first period with Effiong Eyo and Abdulazeez Fatai scoring for the Akwa Ibom-based side as Dozie Frank also find the back of the net for the league holders.
Kada BSC forced the game into extra time with the scoreline at 3-3 leading to penalties after the extra time.
Ibom BSC converted all six spot kicks by Jude Uwaoma, Effiong Eyo, Elijah Eboh, Emem Obong, Sani Hassan, and Abdulazeez Fatai.
Kada BSC scored five penalties while Momoh Sani missed giving Fatai the chance to score the winning penalty.
The debutant at the end of the day secure a 6-5 win on penalties and picked its first point of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Nmanko Patigi BSC secured its second win of the second phase with a 3-2 victory against Kebbi United BSC handing the debutants and second team from Kebbi State its second consecutive loss.
Kebbi United had suffered a 4-1 loss in penalties to Kebbi BSC the previous day.
Azeez Lawal and Jamiu Kunle’s brace lifted the Kwara State-based side to another win as Hassan Abdullahi and Umar Sadiq’s goal proved to be a mere consolation.
Kebbi BSC had earlier walked over Smart City BSC as the Lagos-based side couldn’t appear at Phase 2.
What they said
Ibom BSC captain, Elijah Eboh
“The experience that we had at this competition was a tough one. Our first game was very hard for us to play although we went back home to train hard and get victory. I thank God we had the victory today.
“We have played them in the first round in Kebbi State. They scored us with alot of goals while we didn’t score and went back to train. We were able to get the tactics to play them coming back as a team and family.
We expect to win all our games in the next phase.
“When we played them in Kebbi, we didn’t know how to start and keep the ball because of the sand as it was our first time playing on a sandy pitch. We went back and we learnt our lessons.”
Kada BSC captain, Dozie Frank:
“We beat them 11-0 in Kebbi. Here we are. We drew and they won the penalty shoot-out. That is the game for you which means no team should be underrated in beach soccer. I believe that we were just unlucky.
“The only thing now is to go back home and prepare more. If we have been training 80%, this time around we should increase it to more than 120% so that we can meet up in the next phase because it is not going to be easy for us. We are playing four games and they will be tough ones. We will just go home, prepare and see what God can do for us.”
