The 2025 Nigeria Nationwide League One (NLO) playoffs kicked off in Ibadan with a surprising result as Real Sapphire FC defeated seasoned campaigners FC Ebedei 2-0 in their opening group match.
Despite being the least experienced side in the group and having no prior Nigeria National League (NNL) exposure, Real Sapphire delivered a composed and tactically impressive performance.
FC Ebedei, based in Sagamu, started brightly with early attacking intent, but the Real Sapphire goalkeeper made several crucial saves to keep the scoreline level.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Ayomide Junaid unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box to give Real Sapphire the lead.
Junaid struck again in the 37th minute, calmly converting a penalty to double their advantage before halftime, leaving FC Ebedei reeling.
Despite their second-half pressure, FC Ebedei couldn’t break through Real Sapphire’s solid defense, and the match ended 2-0.
In the day’s second fixture, Joy Cometh FC edged out Stormers SC 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter between two former NNL sides. The winner came in the 45th minute, courtesy of Adisa Daniel, and proved decisive as the Lagos-based side held on for the win.
Upcoming fixtures:
These matches will be crucial in deciding which teams progress from the fiercely competitive Ibadan group.
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