Cyprian Onyekachi may have scored the match winner for UBA to end Skye Bank’s four year’s dominance of the football event of the Nigeria Bankers Games but the tournament hero was goalkeeper Shola Thomas.
A late second half goal by UBA’s Cyprian Onyekachi ended Skye Bank’s four-year dominance of the football event of the Nigeria Bankers Games recently.
The final day of the Games had only the football event, which began with a novelty match between NBG Hall of Fame members and online shopping firm, Jumia. The NBG side won 1-0.
UBA’s defence curtailed the dangerous Skye Bank forwards Ismaila Sani, Seun Mohammed, Shola Akintayo and Mustafa Abdulraheed, keeping them quiet for most of the first half.
Apparently buoyed by the presence of their chairman, Tony Elumelu, the UBA squad showed early intent as they pushed to reclaim the title they lost to Skye Bank in 2011.
Martins Udeaja’s free kick cannoned of the cross bar with Skye Bank goalkeeper Rasheed Oshun beaten. Onyekachi’s free kick goal few minutes to the end of the game brought more drama to the final game. Skye Bank got a penalty and they were hoping to level score but goalkeeper Shola Thomas had other ideas. The keeper guessed right to foil the resultant goal-bound kick.
It was UBA’s fifth football title, which equaled Skye Bank’s record. Thomas was voted Best Goalkeeper while another UBA player, Emeka Okolie, was voted Best Defender. Other award winners were Bamidele Odunuga of ECOBANK (Best Midfielder), Seun Mohammed of Skye Bank, who went home with the highest goal scorer and Most Valuable Player awards respectively.
Fidelity Bank emerged as the overall winners of the event while Diamond Bank and Skye Bank placed second and third respectively.