Skye Bank Through To The Finals of the Nigerian Bankers League.
It was a struggle of epic proportions as the Skye Bank football team faced the Standard Chartered Bank football team in the first semi finals of the Nigerian Bankers League at the National Stadium, Surulere. After a difficult battle which saw both teams play past the extra time into penalties, Skye Bank emerged victorious with a 6-5 decisive victory.
Skye Bank entered the match favored to win. They are the reigning champions of the league having won the tournament back to back in 2011 and 2012. The team has also reached the finals in the year 2010 but narrowly missed out when the lost by penalties.
The first half witnessed a fierce competition from both sides with several attempts made at the goal posts of each team but the goal keepers stood like sentinels guarding the gateway and at the end of the first 45 minutes, no goals had been recorded in the game. The second half proved more fruitful when Shola Akintayo of Skye Bank converted an opportunity to seize the lead for his team. A few minutes later, a red card for Skye Bank resulted in a penalty kick for Standard Chartered Bank. Gboyega Adegbenro took the shot and equalized for his team. By the end of the 90 minutes regulation time, the score was an even one all. A winner had to emerge so the game went into extra time.
The officials decided that 20 minutes of extra time should be given to the game with two halves of ten minutes. The 20 minutes extra time witnessed a lot of substitutions from both teams as well as several attempts at the goal post including Skye Bank’s Bagio’s attempted trick. After the intense 20 minutes, no goals were scored. The game then proceeded into penalty.
The tension in the atmosphere was palpable, every part of the stadium felt it when both teams filed onto the field for the penalty kicks. Each side sent forth representatives to take their shots with the spectators cheering for their teams. Standard Chartered’s defender Emmanuel Ebolidagbe went forward to take the third penalty for his team but Team Skye Bank’s goalkeeper Geoffrey Akenema’s reflexes were just too fast for him. Akenema stopped the ball from finding its way into the goal post. That deflection, and the fact that every Skye Bank player scored their penalty was enough to give Skye Bank the victory and book them a place in what is now their fourth consecutive finals.
Team Skye Bank’s Coach Keegan said his squad is ready to prove that they are champions by winning the league for the third consecutive time. He explained that the team’s action plan for the final match is to make sure that the game does not exceed regulation time as they have never been beaten within regulation time. He praised his players’ commitment, dedication and discipline, adding that those virtues would surely earn them victory. In like vein, Yahaya Bagio Yakubu who was the Coach’s player of the game expressed confidence in Skye Bank’s ability to win the tournament yet again.
