The SUB Small Pitch hosted the opening Seals Cup ’26 fixture for the Ibadan Medicine ladies on Sunday, April 26, as they faced their counterparts from the Faculty of Law.
The game scheduled for 4 PM kicked off behind schedule, at some twenty minutes late. Roheemot, Temilola, Hemjay, Sarah, Ope, Chidinma made up the starting seven players for MBBS with Afeezah between the sticks. Law got the game underway. It wouldn’t take long for MBBS to make their mark with Sarah hitting the post after some good play to win a free kick. They wouldn’t be made to rue the missed chance for long as soon after, team captain Chidinma controlled a pass, before rifling a shot into the back of the net. The team, buoyed by the goal, continued to press relentlessly as the Law defence resorted to clearing their lines at every opportunity. Sarah was lively and remained at the heart of everything good, and she would win a penalty after her free kick was handled in the box. She stepped up to take but Law would heave a sigh of relief as she dragged it narrowly wide. The referee’s whistle drew a halt to the action from the first half.
Chidinma got the second half underway as MBBS attempted to pick off from where they left off before the restart. And they needed only under three minutes to make their presence felt, as Law conceded yet another penalty after Sarah met a cross and headed onto the outstretched defender’s arm. This time she would make no mistake from 12 yards, coolly slotting home. Law, perhaps jolted by the goal, would attempt to mount an attack but would be well marshalled. Another sustained spell of pressure would see Sarah add a third with a free kick to put the MBBS women firmly in the driving seat. The goal would be contested by the opponents but would stand, upon video review by the referee. Three goals to the good, the game was firmly out of the reach of Law. The final whistle would bring the game to a standstill at about 5:07 PM.
Speaking after the match, MBBS coach, Possible expressed strong belief in his team’s ability to go one better than that 2024 final run, particularly after strengthening the side with the shrewd signings of Ope, a Masters student, and Sarah, the MVP and top goalscorer of the Sigma Festival ‘25, recruited from Forestry, who bagged a brace on her way to proving a handful for a Law side that never really found a way to contain her. Sarah herself echoes this optimism, saying she joined because she believes strongly in the team’s ability and has “good players around her that can complement her game.” The team can also count on the experience of captain Chidinma, who wasted no time adding to her SEALS Cup tally with the opener, a sharp reminder that one of the tournament’s most feared forwards is still very much in the business of scoring goals.
After matchday one, MBBS sit atop Group D with 3 points and a +3GD, closely followed by Archeology and Anthropology with 3 points and +2GD. EHS and Law round out the table with no points, on -2 and -3 GD respectively.
