On the 4th of August, 2024, the MBBS Male football team won their second game of the 2024 Seals Cup against Urban and Regional Planning with a lone goal from Teslim at the Old Football Pitch, SUB.
The game slated for 3:30pm began at exactly 3:54pm with a kick-off from MBBS. There were notable changes in the starting XI. The first few minutes saw the MBBS players seeking balance with a few short passes while the URP players struggle to dispossess them. Jide, the no. 9 for the medics, was energetic, intercepting the passes in the final third of his opponents. Despite how well the MBBS players dominated, the score line didn’t flinch and the fans began to get impatient, clamouring for a goal judging by how seemingly poor the opponents were playing.
The rustiness from the previous game was still existent in how the ‘student doctors’ played. This wasn’t obvious for many because they [MBBS] had the ball for the most minutes. URP won two freekicks in succession, with the second played twice, but they couldn’t convert any. The deadlock continued for minutes with the best from MBBS being a few ‘one-two’s in the midfield, and line-breaking passes into the final third with no results.
Karbon from MBBS relentlessly toyed with URP’s backline and won a freekick after which Habeeb registered the first on-target shot of the game. This shot was pushed out by URP’s goalie and it led to four corner kicks in succession, with each attempt on goal ending up as a near-miss.
Karbon won a foul close to the end of the first half, but it ended as another off-target shot. URP’s goalie became more comfortable as the MBBS players were not testing him enough. A few off-targets were registered and the half-time whistle ended the play. By half-time, every player from the mid-line to the attack on the MBBS team had registered a shot, except Teslim who always chose to find a man even with clearer opportunities.
After ten minutes of rest, the second half was underway. Most parts of the first half featured the student doctors charging against a resilient URP side in a continuous pattern and the second half began in the same fashion. The MBBS team made their first substitution in the game, with Prestige coming on for Behemoth. MBBS, just like in the first half, won corners in succession but couldn’t change the deadlock with any of them. Istanbul from MBBS registered a shot off-target after which URP made their first substitution in the game.
Habeeb on the left wing for MBBS won another corner but unlike the previous, he was able to find Teslim for a header, sending the ball into the back of the net 12 minutes into the second half. A substitution happened immediately after, Fuhad coming on for Istanbul.
While MBBS were charging for a second goal, Teslim was riling up the fans with his decision making in the opponents’ final third. There were loud chants of “Shoot!” from the sideline but Teslim didn’t yield. At that point, fans were visibly frustrated. Not long after, a URP player went down and the game was paused. After proper attention to the player, the game resumed and Ola came on for Jide.
URP made their second substitution immediately after and registered their first shot in the second half, metres off the post. In the last minutes of regular time, Habeeb won another freekick but was unable to convert as the ball missed the bar by an inch. Desperation showed in the eyes of the MBBS fans as the game entered into the extra minutes. Complains and grumbling filled the stands, and it was obvious that they [fans] came out intending to watch a more engaging game. After a few exchange of passes and fruitless counter-attacks from URP, the final whistle was blown. Two games, two wins, for the student doctors.
Speaking with UIMSA Press, Sodiq, a fan of Urban and Regional Planning said; “It wasn’t a good day as such for URP, as our team failed to register a shot on target. The MBBS team did well on possession but failed to convert the big chances created.” Chidinma Onyiuke from MBBS said “The MBBS players started strongly and finished likewise. Notable players, for me, were Prestige and Teslim.” Like Chidinma, Bright Daniel, also felt more was required: “It was a one-sided game because the MBBS players had the ball for more than 80% of the time but we should have scored more. We were not really perfect in our final third and it might cost us when we face a better team but I believe the coach has also noticed this and we expect improvements in our finishing.”
With 6 points and a +2 goal difference, MBBS are top of the table and will be facing Economics for their final group stage game.
Peter Adeyemo.
