Palm Syrup Vs Tudun Wada: NLO Cup Final Match Preview
Palm Syrup FC and Tudun Wada will lockhorns in the final game of the 2023 NLO Cup tournament. SportsRation presents a preview of the match.
MATCH DETAILS
Type of competition: 2023 Nationwide League One cup [NLO CUP]
Stage: Final match
Fixture: Palm Syrup FC Vs Tudun Wada FC
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023
Venue: Bwari Stadium, Abuja
Time: 4pm
ABOUT THE MATCH
The Final of the 2023 NLO Cup, sponsored by telecommunications giant MTN and FirstCentral Credit Bureau, will go down on Saturday evening with the winners of Uyo Center [Palm Syrup FC] up against Tudun Wada FC.
It will be the first-ever match between both teams and so there are no head-to-head stats but a fresh challenge before two teams chasing glory in the maiden edition of the NLO Cup.
Tudun Wada FC will enjoy the advantage of playing in a familiar territory but Palm Syrup have proven to be a tough nut to crack.
Before the final match, the nation’s third-tier league will be having its Congress, where the roadmap to the new season will be discussed by the NLO Board and clubs.
Sixteen (16) best grassroot teams were selected to showcase the beautiful brand of NLO football, as they dared to dream of lifting the trophy at the end of the tourney, when the group stage began from November 24th to December 9 at two centres, the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano and Uyo Township Stadium, Uyo.
Only Tudun Wada FC, who were winners of the inaugural NLO Super Cup at the Uboma Secondary School Stadium Complex, Imo State and Palm Syrup are left standing ahead of this weekend’s final.
ROAD TO THE FINAL
Tudun Wada FC finished come into the final match unbeaten and boasting of a clinical frontline which has scored nine (9) times and a defence that has conceded just three (3) goals.
Tudun Wada had a slow start to their campaign in lone goal wins against Barau/Murtala and Like Minds FC, but fired the burner beating FC Zeal Minds FC 4-2 to set-up a semi-final clash against Green Lock, whom they dispatched 3-1.
For Palm Syrup, they shouldn’t be taken lightly, as they are though and with a good mental strength.
Syrup lost it’s final group game to RORO FC before coasting past Kun Kalifah FC 6-5 in a nail biting penalty shootout in the semi-final.
Palm Syrup edged both Krane FC and Jaguar FC 2-0, lost to RORO FC by a lone goal, to go top of Group 2 (B) and set-up a titanic clash with free scoring Kun Khalifa.
After a drab 90minutes at the Uyo Township Stadium, the lottery of penalties was needed to separate Palm Syrup and Kun Khalifa.
A dramatic shootout saw Palm Syrup turn the disadvantage to advantage after missing their third spot kick, only for Kun Khalifa to miss their third and fourth kick, to win the thrilling 16 penalty kicks 6-5.
Meanwhile, Tudun Wada FC are one game away from making history in Nigeria’s top grassroot football. Should they win on Saturday, the Kano-based team will become the first NLO side to win two inaugural tournaments – NLO Super Cup and NLO Cup.
For anxious fans of the Nationwide League One football brand, they can get to catch a glimpse of the third-place game between, Kun Kalifa FC vs Green Lock and the final on the NLO TV App or on the NLO YouTube Channel.
