ARMIC LIFTS CUP AT THE NTO II CUP CHALLENGE, ABUJA

It was an afternoon of good football, music, fun, side attractions and brotherliness past Sunday when the prestigious Corporate Kickers Sports Club of Abuja (CKSC) of Abuja had their first football tournament for the year 2015. The well hyped encounter pitched CKSC against ARMIC, a think tank pressure group within the parent CKSC club.

The in-house cup challenge which lived up to its pre-match excitement and expectation started on a scary note with the collision of Dele, CKSC goal tender and Nosa (STAR BOY) the mid field maestro for ARMIC. The game was stopped for some minutes for the CSKC safe hand to get urgent medical attention before play continued, to the relief of everybody present.

There was no dull moment from then on as the referee whistled for resumption of play with both teams making dangerous incursions into each other’s goal area.
However, as the match wore on in the first half, CKSC proved to be the livelier of the two teams with smooth build up from the back four, ground interplay and better team cohesion. They would have gotten the curtain raiser longer than expected if not for the heroic interventions of Eddy ‘the Oracle’ who manned the central defence for ARMIC.

Obinna Ararume, aka Tuso, shone like a bright star for CKSC in the middle of the pack where he held sway, displaying sublime skills and penetrating passing ability, one of which eventually freed Leye on the right flank for the first goal of the game.
ARMIC came out fighting like wounded lions but flunked all begging chances in front of goal till the referee signaled for the break.

On resumption of hostilities in the second half, the ARMIC boys picked up the tempo from where they left off with vigor and determination but the defence line of CKSC ably marshaled by Abili the 7th stood firm, intercepting and keeping the score line to their advantage. But it wasn’t for long as the second half delivered loads of drama both on and off the field of play.
It came as no surprise to spectators when Sir K equalized for ARMIC from a corner kick which should be blamed wholly on lack of communication between the CKSC goalie and Barrister Ken, manning the outer post.
The equalizer seemed to have taken the winds of the sail of CKSC as the match approached the last minutes and CKSC tried to slow the pace down, perhaps praying for penalty shoot-out but ARMIC will have none of that. Nto II the Chairman of ARMIC and Technical Adviser made some swift substitutions that turned up the heat on their opponent, injecting the tension and excitement back into the encounter.

The CKSC midfield lost its bite due to tiredness and the substitutions of some key players, giving ARMIC the breather to run rings round the hapless CKSC back four. The barrage of attacks eventually paid off with the referee awarding a penalty to ARMIC. The resultant spot kick was coolly slotted into the left corner of the post by Zizzou, leaving Mike, CKSC second string keeper, immobile.
ARMIC left the best for the last when Odel, sporting jersey number 72 scored a world class goal that Messi and Ronaldo will be proud off, controlling the ball from the center circle he sold a dummy and made a swift turn that left the defender marking him stranded before chipping an intelligent long one into the net, high and over the CKSC keeper who was out of his line. Odel’s vision and agility was indeed the crowning glory of sweet victory. With that back breaker, the referee blew the final whistle to heavy jubilation from the ARMIC players and satisfaction of the impressive crowd that witnessed the game.
The maiden in-house tournament (The Nto II Cup) was solely sponsored by a royal son, Lineal Nto Mbah, the chairman of ARMIC and an integral member of the CKSC family.