Chidinma Okeke Cup: Four Clubs Seals Semifinal Spots

By Saheed Afolabi

The quarter-finals of the Chidinma Okeke Cup delivered a day of nail-biting suspense and dramatic finishes, with three of the four matches decided by the cruel lottery of the penalty shootout

Prime FC, Golden Planners, Sansan Boys, and Courteville FC emerged victorious, securing their coveted spots in the semi-finals.

Jossam FC and Prime FC battling to a 1-1 draw. Both teams showcased impressive resilience, trading blows throughout regular time. However, it was Prime FC who held their nerve in the ensuing penalty shootout, converting four spot-kicks to Jossam’s three, earning them the first semi-final berth.

Great Success and Golden Planners mirrored the opening match’s scoreline, also finishing 1-1. The tension was palpable as the teams lined up for penalties. In a repeat of the earlier drama, Golden Planners demonstrated composure under pressure, sealing a 4-3 shootout victory and advancing to the next round.

The trend of draws continued with Dynamite FC and Sansan Boys, who also ended regular time deadlocked at 1-1. This fiercely contested match showcased both teams’ attacking prowess. When it came down to penalties, Sansan Boys proved more clinical, winning the shootout 4-2 and securing their place among the final four.

Breaking the pattern of draws, Courteville faced Ilasamaja Youth FC in the final quarter-final. This was a tighter affair, with both sides cautious. Ultimately, Courteville found the decisive breakthrough, scoring the only goal of the match to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory and become the sole team to avoid the penalty shootout drama on the day.