Two very old clubs, Clabar Rovers and Bendel Insurance, resumed age long rivalry on Friday, with Rovers beating the latter 1-0.
The two are in the generation of the likes of Kano Pillars, IICC (now 3SC) and Rangers International of Enugu.
They precede in age club sides lsuch as Eyimba f Ava and Sunshine FC of Ondo.
Rovers edged past Bendel Insurance FC of Benin 5-4 on penalty kicks after a goalless draw at full time.
The win for Calabar Rovers was in the quarter-finals of the ongoing 2019 AITEO Cup and was played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the game went to penalty shootout after both sides failed to cancel themselves out within the 90 minutes of play.
Speaking after the match, Calabar Rovers’ coach Bob Osen expressed joy over his team’s win and attributed it to God.
”This is the first time Calabar Rovers are reaching the semi-finals in the Cup competition after so many years and it calls for celebration.
”In any game of football, chances are made to be created and some times you missed and some times you converted them.
”Today we fell victim of missed chances and thank God it did not come around to haunt us in the penalty shootout,” he said.
Bendel Insurance’s coach Bauldwin Bazuaye said that the two teams played well and this could not stop the game from ending in penalty shootout.
”We did well, likewise our opponents, and that is why the game was decided by penalty shootout which is nobody’s game.
”Penalty kicks are nobody’s game. So, the lucky team won and we are going home to put things in order for a better outing next season,” Bazuaye said.
He acknowledged that his team lost several chances in the match but noted that their opponents lost chances as well and that the game is not all about chances lost.
