The second day of the 2025 Jagaban Cup was nothing short of electrifying. The tension, drama, and passion on display left the fans on the edge of their seats. Just like the first day, the action was fast, fierce, and full of surprises—each match telling its own captivating story.
The day kicked off with Ikorodu City, who had suffered a shock loss to 36 Lions FC in their opener, facing off against Bethel FC, who had drawn with Broad City FC the day before. With both teams desperate for a win to stay in contention, there was no room for mistakes. The first half was tight, with both sides playing cautiously, aware that the next mistake could end their hopes.
Then, in the 62nd minute, Ikorodu City broke the deadlock. Waliu Ojetoye sent in a precise cross from the right, and Ezekiel Samuel was perfectly positioned to meet it. His header sent the ball into the net, giving Ikorodu City the crucial 1-0 lead. The goal proved to be enough, as Ikorodu held on to win and keep their dreams of the trophy alive.
The second match of the day—36 Lions FC against Broad City—was nothing short of a spectacle. If there was a match of the tournament, this would be it. Broad City had gone ahead early with two stunning goals. In the 33rd minute, Sanusi Hanif capitalized on a precise cross from Istifanus Freedom to give Broad City the lead. Then, just four minutes later, Hanif doubled his tally, finishing a well-executed counterattack to make it 2-0.
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But 36 Lions FC weren’t done yet. They pulled one back in the 40th minute when Lawal Oluwaseun rose above everyone else to nod in a cross from Alatan Azuka. With the score at 2-1, the game was wide open. Then, just 10 minutes into the second half, Abidoye Ibrahim delivered a long-range shot that beat Broad City’s goalkeeper Ramat, leveling the score at 2-2.
Just as the crowd thought the excitement had reached its peak, 36 Lions completed their comeback in the 65th minute. A perfectly executed corner found Alex John, who rose higher than anyone else to power in a header past Ramat. The roar from the crowd was deafening as the match ended 3-2 in favor of 36 Lions FC—a comeback for the ages!
The third match of the day saw Ijebu United face off against Imperial FC. Ijebu, coming off a tough loss despite scoring twice on the first day, was looking to bounce back. Imperial FC, one of the most exciting teams of day one, had their eyes set on victory.
Ijebu United made their intentions clear early on, with Onyemaechi Uchechukwu opening the scoring in the 9th minute with a beautiful volley from inside the box. Then, in the 25th minute, Ekeh Emmanuel threaded a sublime pass through Imperial’s defense, finding Benedict Achi, who calmly lifted the ball over Imperial’s goalkeeper Kator Daniel. It was 2-0 to Ijebu United, and they looked to be in control.
Imperial FC fought back in the 59th minute when Raphael Ugede scored a well-taken goal past Ijebu’s goalkeeper Benedict after a brilliant pass from Kingsley Elijah. Despite their best efforts, Imperial couldn’t find an equalizer, and the match ended 2-1 in favor of Ijebu United.
The final match of the day was a thrilling encounter between Dino FC and SGFC of Ilorin. In the 17th minute, Obudu Samuel capitalized on what seemed like an offside trap to score for Dino FC. However, SGFC wasted no time and responded immediately. In the second half, Okwuosa Chukwudi spotted Dino’s goalkeeper off his line and chipped the ball over him to level the score at 1-1.
In the 56th minute, SGFC took the lead. Johan Yaro whipped in a perfect cross into the box, and Ayodeji ran onto it, heading it past Dino’s goalkeeper, Ede Gideon. The crowd erupted in celebration as SGFC led 2-1. Both teams continued to battle, but neither could add to the scoreline. The match ended 2-1 in favor of SGFC, securing a hard-fought win.
The second day of the 2025 Jagaban Cup left fans breathless, and with each match offering twists and turns, it’s clear that this tournament is going to be one for the history books. Can the teams continue this level of intensity, or will the pressure prove too much? The journey to the trophy is far from over, and anything can happen!
