Hypebuzz FA rally from behind to defeat Gwarinpa United 3–1 in FCT FA League opener

Posted : 14 July 2026

Hypebuzz Football Academy came from a goal down to record an impressive 3–1 victory over Gwarinpa United FC in their opening Group A match of the 2026 Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCT FA) League on Monday in Abuja.

Gwarinpa United made the brighter start and were rewarded in the 25th minute when Bashiru Aliyu unleashed a spectacular strike from about 35 yards to hand his side the lead.

Hypebuzz FA, however, responded positively, piling pressure on their opponents in search of an equaliser. Sadeeq Khamis came close from a corner kick, but the Gwarinpa goalkeeper produced a fine save to preserve the advantage.

The equaliser eventually arrived in the 31st minute as Ebube Onyeulo showed great determination to regain possession before calmly finishing to restore parity.

Hypebuzz returned from the break with renewed purpose and took control of the contest.

Their dominance paid off in the 65th minute when Idris Gambo capitalised on hesitation in the Gwarinpa defence before finishing confidently with his weaker foot to put Hypebuzz ahead.

Gwarinpa's task became more difficult in the 76th minute after Shuaibu Abdulsalam received a straight red card, reducing his side to 10 men.

Four minutes later, Mubarak Fasiu sealed the victory with a brilliant solo effort, dribbling past two defenders before calmly slotting home Hypebuzz's third goal.

Speaking after the match, Hypebuzz head coach Barnabas Awuni described the victory as deserved, saying his youthful team showed resilience after falling behind.

He said the players overcame a difficult start despite having little time for a proper warm-up before kick-off, which affected their early performance, particularly that of the goalkeeper.

Awuni added that the competition would provide valuable development opportunities for his young squad and praised the standard of officiating, rating the referees eight out of 10.

He also noted that his players maintained their composure despite the physical approach of their opponents.

Gwarinpa United head coach Umaru Bameyi, however, blamed poor officiating for his side's defeat, insisting several key decisions went against his team.

Bameyi questioned the red-card decision against Abdulsalam and claimed his side were denied multiple penalty appeals.

He urged the organisers to ensure better officiating, noting that participating clubs invest significant resources in the competition and deserve fair treatment.

In the day's other Group A fixtures, Zuko FC defeated Sofea Sports Limited (SSL) FC 3–2, while Defence Strikers FC edged Fine Trust FC 1–0.

Gwarinpa United will face SSL FC on Friday at 11 a.m., while Hypebuzz FA will take on Fine Trust FC at 9 a.m.

The 2026 FCT FA League, which began on Monday at the Area 3 Football Pitch in Abuja, features 24 clubs divided into four groups.

Hypebuzz FA's comeback victory marked an encouraging start to their campaign, while Gwarinpa United will be aiming to bounce back in their next fixture as the race for qualification continues in the FCT FA League.

Hypebuzz FA rally from behind to defeat Gwarinpa United 3–1 in FCT FA League opener

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