Ex-Eagles Star Reunites Ex-Internationals With Legends Football Match, Unity Cup

Ex-Eagles Star Reunites Ex-Internationals With Legends Football Match, Unity Cup

By Niyi Busari

Former Super Eagles defender, Benedict Akwuegbu has used the round leather game to reunite former players of the Nigeria Golden Eaglets, Flying Eagles and Super Eagles in Jos.

In a friendly match, christened Legend Match, former Mighty Jets and Plateau United stars engaged themselves to reignites the rivalry between the two teams.

Despite the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria and the world at large, former Super Eagles star, Benedict Akwuegbu brought together ex-star players of Plateau United and Mighty Jets at the Rwang Pam stadium, Jos.

The venue of the match turned a beautiful spectacle. Though, the friendly match was played behind closed doors, but the near by tall buildings, trees, poles and communications masts, turned to comfortable seats for the fans to catch glimpses of their legends and heroes of the yester-years.

And they didn't disappoint as Plateau United Legends Sambo Choji opened the scoring in the eventual five-goal thriller in the 20th minute.

Despite his old age, Choji sent out a clear message that he's indeed an old wine that tastes sweeter with age. Kelechi Okoye was not left out 9f the show, as he equally announced he's not lost out as he used his trade mark skills and left foot ball to score a beautiful goal.

Playing on the side of Mighty Jets Legends, Okoye came off the bench to restore parity for his side with five minutes before the half time whistle.

Sambo Choji completed his brace on the day by restoring Plateau United Legends lead with a sublime finish in the second period before Shehu Romario Laka made it 2-2.

Patrick Mancha won the game for Plateau United Legends with his trade mark goal of extraordinary quality to end the game 3-2 in favour of Plateau United Legends.

NFF Technical Director, Bitrus Bewarang was the coach of the winning Plateau United Legends while Ben Duamlong was in charge of Mighty Jets Legends.

Rwang Pam stadium, located in the heart of Tin City, Jos, went agog and electrifying like the famous Camp Nou or Santiago Bernabou, both in Spain or Old Trafford in England during Real Madrid El Classico versus Barcelona or Manchester Derby involving Manchester United versus Manchester City.

On this day in Jos, the legendary Jos derby between Mighty Jets and Plateau United for the soul of football in the cool, breezy city in the North Central Nigeria was replicated.

Though the players on this occasion are players that have passed their prime in the game, but they are still those who pulled the strings for Mighty Jets and Plateau United in those years.

At that time, the likes of Sam Pam Jnr, Sambo Choji, Patrick Mancha, Victor Wikadson, Kelechi Okoye, Sank Adamu Salisu Nakande, Bature Saleh and Tony Ogharandukwu were not just either Plateau United or Mighty Jets players but also Golden Eaglets, Flying Eagles or Super Eagles players.

When you add this list of players to the likes of Ben 'Austria Bomber' Akwuegbu, evergreen Ismaila Mabo, Ben Duamlong and Bitrus Bewarang, then you begin to imagine the strength and dominant role of Jos players in the Nigerian football scene and the bitter rivalry between Mighty Jets and Plateau United in those beautiful old days.

But the Austria Bomber would not want to sit by and watch as the game slide in the city. He would not want to remain passive as his contemporaries middle away unrecognized, no, Akwuegbu decided to come up with the Akwuegbu Unity Cup and the Legends of Plateau match.

In the final of the Unity Cup, Bokkos Local Government team went down 0-3 to their Jos counterparts. That thrilling clash set the tonic for the big one, the Legends of Plateau game involving Ex Plateau United and their Mighty Jets counterparts on March 22.

Victor Lapang, Plateau State Commissioner for Sports, was the Special Guest of Honour and duly presented the winners trophy to Sani Adamu, captain of the champions.

Plateau United legends.
Keeper. Garaba Okala. Sam pam junior. Victor Wilkadson, Pascal Patrick. Sani Adamu (captin) Patrick Mancha. Tony Ogharandukwu. Salisu Nakande. Sambo Choji. Danjuma isandu. Balele Nakande.
Reserve.
John Fash. Umaru Maggie kempes. Awulu Arrow. Donatus Iloka. Okeke Rangers.

Mighty legends.
Bobnata Danjuma.
Sylvester Ekoja (captain) Habu Lapepe.Tijani zololo. Ali keegan. Garba Bombers. Fatai Yekini. Ben Akwuegbu. Kelechi Okoye. Bature Saleh. Awulu killer.
Reserves.
Chaba Rank. Thomas Ekoja. Emeka Richard. Shehu laka. Ado ubanta, Abbas Jimoh, Meku Diguma, Ibrahim Mohammed

Reserve keeper. Aminu musa.