FASU hosts UNILAG got their first win on Monday to revive hopes of making the second round of the football event of the 2024 All Africa University Games
In continuation of the 11th All Africa University Games (FASU), the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday defeated Nkumba University of Uganda 2-1 in the football event of the ongoing 11th All Africa University Games (FASU) in Lagos.
Chisom Odilli opened, scoring for the hosts in the seventh minute of the game, and the first half ended in UNILAG's advantage. The boys from Uganda came back strong in the second half to equalise through Henri Mukasa in the 52nd minute.
Team Uganda, knowing that a draw would see them through, employed delay tactics, which did not deter UNILAG, who were desperately looking for the winning goal. Their desperation paid off in the 87th minute as Isaac Olanipekun rose to connect an outbound header to score the winning goal.
UNILAG lost their first match 0-1 to the University for Development Studies, Ghana.
An elated UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Folashade Ogunsola, who was at the match venue to cheer the boys to victory, described the team's performance as fantastic.
"These boys' performance was fantastic, and we need to praise them. It is not easy playing under such pressure, and I understand," she said.
In other matches, Lagos State University (LASU) defeated Federal University Oye, Ekiti (FUOYE) 2-1 to record their first win.
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LASU dominated the early stages of the match and registered their first goal through Emmanuel Okoro in the 20th minute. FUOYE equalised through Teniola Samuel before the end of the first half.
At that point, the match became an end-to-end contest as both teams pushed for a winner, which came to LASU through Elijah Ayeni, towards the end of the encounter.
Also on Monday, the defending champions in the football event, Kenyatta University of Kenya (KUK), defeated the University of Ghana 2-0.
KUK scored two goals in the second half through Price Omeda and Joshua Gichana. With this victory, KUK leads their group, having recorded a draw in their opening game.
KUK's coach, Joseph Rama, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that his team played well and deserved to win.
"We played well; it was a tough match, and we had to work hard to get our goals in the second half of the game.
"We are going into the final group game with a lot of confidence, and we believe a victory is what we will get out of the match at the end," Rama said.
