By Emmanuel Abi Couson
Former champions Bendel Insurance and Rangers International will face off in a high-profile round of 16 match of this year’s President Federation Cup after scaling their respective round of 32 hurdles,
Bendel Insurance and Enugu Rangers are two perennial foes who have faced other in three Federation Cup final of 1978 , 1981 and 2023.
Both have 10 titles between them, Insurance (four) and Rangers (six), two of the most successful teams in Nigeria, will headline the battles in the next round of the country’s oldest competition.
To book their spot in the next stage, Bendel Insurance continued their dominant run in the competition, thrashing Adamawa United 3-0, courtesy of a hat-trick from Kayode Oke.
In the other matches slated for the last 16, giant killers Beyond Limits, who eliminated former Nigerian champions Rivers United, to book a clash with familiar foes and high-flying NPFL new boys Ikorodu City.
El-Kanemi will battle Enyimba and Sunshine Stars return to Ijebu Ode for Heartland
Four-time winners Enyimba will also face Abakaliki FC, who edged another NPFL side, Katsina United, on penalties.
Second-tier side Solutions FC compounded the woes of Lobi Stars by coming from a goal down to claim a 2-1 victory in the round of 32, and they will hope to ride on that confidence when they face Kwara United in the next round.
Nasarawa United and Bayelsa United will battle each other in an all-NPFL affair, just as former top-flight teams Warri Wolves and Wikki Tourists will battle for a place in the last eight.
Although they are just finding a resurgence in the league, Plateau United will hope to continue their steady run in the President’s Federation Cup against Osun United after knocking out Sunshine Stars.
Akwa United also await the winner of the clash between Inter Lagos and Danburam FC.
