The victory ended a 28-year wait for silverware for the Harmony Boys, who triumphed in a tense final played at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Lagos Island.
The 2025 final was the 18th time the cup decider has been settled via penalties since the competition began, with the first instance dating back to 1983, when Enugu Rangers beat DIC Bees of Kaduna 5–4 following a goalless draw.
Abakaliki FC, popularly known as the Rice Boys and bound for the Nigeria Nationwide League One (NLO), put up a spirited performance, pushing the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side to the limit in an intense and tightly contested affair.
With neither team able to find the net after 120 minutes, referee Joseph Ogabor pointed to the spot to decide the winner. In the shootout, Kwara United converted four of their penalties, while Abakaliki FC scored three.
The shootout win etched Kwara United FC into the record books as the 33rd different winners of the country’s oldest football competition, formerly known as the FA Cup and Challenge Cup.
The victory also earned the Ilorin-based side a continental ticket, as they will now represent Nigeria in the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup alongside Abia Warriors, the NPFL third-place finishers.
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