City FC Seek to Consolidate North Central Dominance as Second Round Beckons

Posted : 10 November 2026

City FC of Abuja will head into the second round of the North Central Zone of the NLO Cup with a commanding lead, but their coach, Sunday Bege, insists there is still work to be done.

The competition has entered a 10-day mid-season break following an action-packed first round that produced 84 goals in 28 matches across seven matchdays.

City FC top the eight-team standings with 21 points, while RBM Sports and Bussdor United FC occupy joint second position with 11 points apiece.

Atlantic Integral FA are fourth with 10 points, followed by Ben Akwuegbu FC on nine points.

Abuja United FC have seven points, while Paul E FC and Young Kogites occupy the bottom two positions with six points each.

With the second round scheduled to begin on Nov. 18, the break offers participating teams an opportunity to assess their performances, address weaknesses and strengthen their strategies.

An official of Paul E FC said the team had gradually adapted to the demands of the competition, expressing satisfaction with the progress made by its players.

The official noted that the NLO Cup was already contributing positively to the development of young footballers through regular competitive exposure.

Similarly, Ben Akwuegbu FC coach, Sani Adamu, commended the Nationwide League One (NLO) for providing an enabling platform for young players to develop their talents and pursue professional careers.

Adamu said lessons from the opening round would guide the team's preparations, stressing the need to sustain improvement when the competition resumes.

"We want to continue with what we have done and make the players realise that they can do it.

"By the time the second round starts, we will look at how to improve our performance. Even if we cannot pay back immediately, our performance should not drop. We must keep improving," he said.

Despite City FC's impressive position, Bege acknowledged that his players must re-strategise to maintain their advantage in the remaining fixtures.

He, however, identified the FIFA Goal Project, where the team plays its home matches, as a major source of confidence and motivation.

"Playing here offers us a lot of confidence and commitment. If you watch our recent matches here, you will see that we have been winning with confidence.

"I doubt that any team will come here and expect to get a draw against us," Bege said.

He added that City FC had consistently entertained their home supporters while giving visiting opponents difficult encounters.

"We express ourselves here at City FC and give every team that visits us a good match," he said.

With the opening round completed, the remaining fixtures promise another competitive phase as the eight teams seek improved fortunes when action resumes on Nov. 18.

City FC will aim to preserve their commanding position when the competition resumes, while their closest challengers will look to close the gap. The 10-day break provides all eight teams with an opportunity to regroup, improve their performances and strengthen their positions in the race for North Central Zone honours.

City FC Seek to Consolidate North Central Dominance as Second Round Beckons

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