The SEALS Cup 2025 started today with bright fixtures, as defending champions ASSE and MBBS played thrilling draws with their opponents, Human Kinetics (KHE) and respectively.
The female opening match was played first, and before its commencement, the previous chairman of the SEALS Cup Committee, Ayobami Ojeniyi, took the kickoff. Both teams started the match brightly, fighting for every ball and looking for early goals. 3 minutes in, KHE earned a free kick taken by Oluwasegun Favour, who skillfully curled the ball into the back of the net. There were further exciting plays from KHE, with Favour terrorizing the ASSE defense. Soon after, ASSE capitalized on KHE’s failure to clear the ball, with Esther finding the back of the net, to get her side back into the game. Favour continued to look for the goal, but nothing came forth from the first half. The second half began brightly again, and again, Favour found the back of the net. ASSE reacted well; they double-marked KHE players and worked together to find an equalizer again. They eventually found it through a beautiful tiki-taka play that displaced the KHE goalkeeper, Tayo Gold, from the post and allowed captain Ololade to tap in. Neither of the teams could find the winner before the end of the game. After the game, Oluwasegun Favour was named the Woman of the Match.
The male category began soon after. There was a trophy parade from the defending champions, MBBS, and a dance performance. Thereafter, the SU executives came onto the pitch for the kickoff. This time, Odedele Covenant, the SU President, kicked it off.
MBBS started the match like a house on fire, winning the midfield battle and coming close to breaking the deadlock through Karbon. However, he hesitated before his shot, allowing IPE to recover. After this, IPE launched a series of attacks at the MBBS defense, but the dynamic Istanbul, who played in the center of the defense, a role he functioned in at the last edition of the competition, stood his ground. Some time later, the MBBS goalkeeper, Emerald, failed to clear the ball properly, gifting IPE a corner kick. The kick was cleared for another corner, and this time, IPE found the back of the net through VK’s header.
MBBS tried to respond immediately through Karbon. The IPE goalkeeper failed to save the shot properly, but he was lucky to see it cleared by his defense. The rest of the first half was marked by defensive errors and unnecessary fouls from MBBS. Before the end of the first half, Teslim had a good chance to level the scores, but the IPE goalkeeper was equal to the attempt.
The second half started shortly after, with IPE firing on all their cylinders to extend their lead. Later on, MBBS talisman Habeeb looked injured after a challenge, but he got up soon after. At this point, MBBS started charging down the wings with Hollandia and Habeeb showboating on several occasions. However, they still missed the final touch. This prompted a triple substitution from Coach Liam, the MBBS gaffer, with Sir Dave, Prestige, and Eben coming on for Jide, Teslim, and Abang.
The introduction of Sir Dave and Prestige into the midfield changed the scope of the game. The IPE defense was called to action several times to avoid losing their lead. Gerald, the MBBS right back, dribbled into the box and laid it off for Prestige, but his shot was off target. Soon after, MBBS won a free kick just outside the box. Habeeb and Sir Dave stood over it, with the latter taking the kick and sending the ball into the back of the net to make the score 1-all. The MBBS team refused to relent. Habeeb danced into the box and was taken down by VK. The linesman signalled a penalty kick, but the centre referee overruled the decision. This raised complaints and clamour in the stands, but nothing was done.
Eventually, IPE caught the MBBS defense sleeping from an Istanbul error and got their second goal courtesy of a finish from Abraham. Later on, Agbowo, the Zik League’s highest goalscorer, was taken down in the box by Istanbul, but the referee waved the game on. During the dying minutes of the game, MBBS eventually equalized again after a mistake from the IPE goalkeeper. They also had a chance to win the game via a last free kick from Habeeb, but it went too high. After the game, the refereeing was questioned by several fans. Many agreed that both IPE and MBBS should have been given penalty kicks. Overall, it was an exciting game, but the refereeing flaws raised eyebrows about the standards of the competition.
After the game, UIMSA Press had a chat with Habeeb from the MBBS team and Pamilerin from the IPE team. Habeeb attested to the thrill of the match, stating that IPE is a great team. However, he expressed his dissatisfaction about the penalty call that was not given. “I believe that was an obvious penalty because he [VK] pulled me. I believe that if we had been given the penalty, we would have locked up the game, and that would have been our winning goal.”Pamilerin of the IPE team also applauded the MBBS team. About the penalty calls, he felt that the referee did not pick the penalty against MBBS because there had been an earlier situation when he denied MBBS a penalty also. “The AR [Assistant Referee] said it was a penalty kick, but the centre referee decided that it wasn’t a penalty. The centre referee has the final say. Also, there was a penalty kick [for us] that was not picked, so I think he balanced it.”
The opening match was wonderful, and we can only expect more from this year’s edition.
