Istanbul sends his team to the semi finals with a lone goal from a direct freekick against Petroleum Engineering at the Old Football Stadium (popularly known as SUB) on the 17th of August, 2024.
The match, which should have started at 3pm, started exactly 1 hour 15 minutes later because both sides showed up with similar strip colors and one side had to find an alternative as the officials refused to go on with the game otherwise.
After disputes, negotiations, appeals – and then solution – the match was underway at exactly 4:15pm. Both sides traded passes as they were trying to ease into the game. MBBS saw their first shot on target cleared off the line with an header from the opposition. A few moments later, a PET player went down, he did entertain the spectators as he made a number of exaggerated rolls on the ground and stood up immediately he realised that he couldn’t sell a foul to the player on him. The MBBS side started to show some level of dictation as Sir Dave of MBBS saw his freekick saved, with Karbon missing the rebound.
The student doctors seemed to have gotten their proper coordination as opposed to the PET side who were still seemingly struggling. Despite the decent gameplay from the MBBS team, they failed to register most of their shots on target for a good part of the first half. Karbon, who has been a threat since the start of the game, made a signature run on the left flank winning a corner kick but the resulting cross was to no end.
In the 23rd minute of the match, MBBS won a freekick at the halfway line and Istanbul perfectly converted it, putting his side ahead. Unexpected, the fans were sent into a frenzy of joy and disbelief. The goal seemed to have fanned the embers of MBBS’ coordination as they pressed more with dangerous counters. However, none of their attacks after produced a goal as the first half came to an end at 4:41 pm.
The second half began 10 minutes later, and both sides made two substitutions each. For MBBS, Fuhad and Habeeb came on for Jide and Dave. They (MBBS) continued with their momentum from the first half until moments later when Fuhad made an unbelievable miss in front of goal, failing to punish the mistake of PET’s goalie.
After this, it seemed like a loose nut had been tightened in the PET team as they charged better. Coincidentally, it seemed as the fans were not happy with the substitutions made and it was reflecting on the game. PET had gotten a better control of the game and they mounted pressure on the student doctors. They had successive freekicks; one missing the target barely, the other saved by the MBBS goalie. Habeeb, seemingly injured prior, had to be removed from the game after limping from a foul on him. This probably sent a message to the opposition that they stood a chance at drawing one back.
The MBBS side struggled to take charge of the game as they failed to get the ball past their own half for minutes. The PET side were not also relenting with each of their attacks being better in succession. Istanbul stood as a gap between the midfield and the 18-yard box, sending most line-breaking passes back to the midfield. Fans of the MBBS side had begun prayers against an equaliser as there was a lot of tension at the stands and on the field.
In the final minutes of the game, the MBBS side got back into the game as they found their feet proper. Gerald of MBBS seemed to be doing it all on the right side of his team’s defence, winning tackles, making clearances and timely interceptions.
Both teams had made their third substitutions earlier and PET made their 4th around the same time they got a freekick just outside the penalty box. Many fans had counted it a goal as star player Zico stepped up to take the kick. To the relief of the MBBS side, the freekick hit the bar and went over. MBBS quickly made one more attack but the forward at the end of the counter couldn’t utilize the chance. This was the last attempt of the game before the referee blew the whistle seconds later, to signify end of the game.
Speaking with UIMSA press, a PET fan, who chose to remain anonymous said “We played well, I can say better for our opponents. It is what it is, the reason we lost was because of poor tactics from the coach. Imagine our centre forward drifting to the left wing, not to talk of Zico who did not even make the starting XI, it’s so frustrating…” Ayotunde Oni, from the MBBS side, is of the opinion that the student doctors played well. In his words, “Ibadan Medicine played well, the first half was good. In the second half, we were not too organised like the first half. I think that we really controlled the game for the most part. I also think we could have done better in stringing our passes to create chances. We wasted chances too and I expected more from our opponents but they didn’t live up to the expectations. I think it was too easy for us, so overall it was a good game.“
Joseph Jacobs.