UI’SU SEALS CUP: JOURNEY TO THE FINALS

Lawal Taiwo
At the beginning of every competition, diverse teams involved always depict the vigour to emerge as the champion of the tournament but only teams with sustained, concerted and unbridled tactics would always scale through the hurdles of the various stages.
This is just the case with the ongoing UI’SU SEALS Cup. The battle for a place in the quarter-final was both highly dramatic and tragic because it could have caused a huge toll on the emotional and psychological well-being of the disqualified teams. As the winning teams bantered their defeated opponents. After Spartiates of the Department of Classics had defeated Animal Science with 2-1 scores, their supporters flooded the UI’SU Seal Cup WhatsApp group with mocking chats; “Animal Science had been sent back to their department to focus on animals since a football pitch is not meant for study of animals”. Also, the match that pitched the Department of Geography against the Department of Law where the Department of Law had suffered a lawful defeat in a one to Nil game was another instance. The supporters of Geography department carved a comical statement that read, “Geography has taken Law into their hands”.
In the other games, the Department of Sociology whopped out Physiology in a 2-0 scoreline. Philosophy defeated Psychology 1-0 while the Department of Veterinary Medicine and the department of Industrial Production Engineering(IPE) played a draw, 1-1. This automatically translated that the Department of Vet. Medicine had been chased out of the tournament.
The Quarter final
The battle for a place in the semifinals, which was held on the 9th and 10th of December 2022 at the Old football pitch, was a fierce one that attracted students to cheer their preferred teams to victory. The first match between the Department of Kinetic Health Education (K.H.E) and the Department of Statistics started twenty-seven minutes after the scheduled time due to the lateness of the Referee.
The game started with the Statistics department mounting huge pressure on the Department of K.H.E team, but all appreciation goes to their Goalkeeper, Kaycee, who had saved a lot of K.H.E several goals. The first goal would later occur a few minutes after the kick-off when the defender of Statistics committed an error. He unintentionally controlled the ball launched from a corner kick into their net. A painful own goal. Etana Moses sealed the win with a direct free kick making the score 2-0 by the end of the second half.
On the other hand, the second match was played between Spartiates and the Department of Sociology. It was a game full of tension because the teams were both fully prepared with a lot of tactics. As the ancient Spartans are known for their formidable military tactics, Classics displayed this with dribbles that characterised this position. One thing to note however is that since the tournament started there was no uniformity in the jerseys of the Spartiates. However, they played the match in a unison manner, which eventually led to Sociology being soaked with two goals to nothing.
On Saturday 10th December 2022, the game continued with the Department of IPE being thrashed out of the tournament by the department of Geography. A match that ended 1-0. The second match of the day was between the Department of Philosophy (Plato Academy) and the Department of Political Science. It was a highly intense and interesting match. After many goal attempts and chances that were not converted, the match ended 1-0 to Political Science at the end of the first half. However, the game took off in a new dimension in the second half. Philosophy mounted intense pressure and got the equaliser they deserve. Although a question mark hangs over the goal as the Political science goal keeper appeared to be found in the build up. The match went into pemalties, the first of the tournament and Philosophy emerged victorious 5-4.
Battle of the Semifinals
The two semi final matches drew out many fans and supporters from all departments and faculties. Some students stabbed their classes only to watch the teams that will be locking horns in the final stage.
The first match between Philosophy and K. H. E, which was the first semi final was an uneasy game for both teams as the first half ended on a dry note. Although, there were goal attempts from the both sides but thanks to their Goalkeepers the half ended in a stalemate.
The second half of the match was full of a tense atmosphere. A lot of tactics and dribbles were played but all to no avail. After full time, the match ended in a nil nil draw and went straight to penalties. In the shoot out, Philosophy emerged victorious converting four of their five spot kicks while KHE missed two of their five.
The other semi final match between Geography and Classics was also full of tension right from the start. The match witnessed both teams standing firmly not to concede any goal. Both teams mounted a huge pressure on each other’s end. Classics had many chances and dominated the game and much of the field area but could not convert any of their chances. Geography can thank their Goalkeeper for keeping them in the game. Classics could also point to ill luck as they see three of their efforts come off the cross bar. Geography also had an effort struck the woodwork in the first half and had a goal bound shot saved brilliantly by the Classics goalkeeper. Just like the first semi final match, the ball went to penalties after it finished in a zero all draw. In the shoot out, Classics lost to Geography after their left back hit the cross bar from the spot kick. The shoot out finished 7-6 in favour of Geography.
Who will be crowned kings of UI football?
The final of this year’s UISU seals cup will see Philosophy, a Faculty of Arts contingent, and Geography face off to be crowned the best footballing department in UI. The match would be played at the SUB pitch on Friday, 16 December, 2022. Kick off time is 4pm.
Also, in the third place match, Classics would hope to defeat KHE for the second time this tournament having defeated them in the group stage. The match would hold earlier before the final on the same day at 2pm at the SUB pitch.