Match Report: OAU Edge UI in Fiery Contest That Ended in Chaos

By: Mahbubat Salahudeen

The highly contested encounter between Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and the University of Ibadan (UI) men’s football team at the SUB Pitch on Tuesday evening, 16th of September, lived up to its billing as one of the fiercest rivalries in university football. What began as a spirited contest descended into chaos, overshadowing OAU’s narrow victory.

The game kicked off at 4:30 pm with both teams flying into challenges and looking to assert early dominance. UI threatened first, coming close through a flurry of early chances, but all attempts were thwarted by OAU’s defense. OAU almost broke the deadlock midway through the half, but were denied by a sharp save from UI goalkeeper, Olami, who tipped the ball over the bar with cat-like reflexes.

The opening half was physically charged, with numerous set pieces and hard tackles. Yellow cards were shown to players on both sides, underlining the intensity of the duel. By halftime, neither side had found a breakthrough, but OAU looked the more creative team, edging possession and creating the clearer chances.

The second half began with UI switching into a bold 4-2-4 setup. They almost struck first, but squandered a glorious chance before OAU punished them at the other end. From a corner, OAU bundled the ball home to break the deadlock, sending their fans into raptures.

UI pushed hard in response, but their momentum was cut short by mounting tensions both on and off the pitch. A second yellow card for an OAU player further stoked the contest, and soon scuffles erupted among fans in the stands. The heated atmosphere spilled over to the sidelines, involving officials and team benches.

With less than 10 minutes left, the game was abandoned after the OAU coach withdrew his men from the game. What had started as a showcase of rivalry ended prematurely in animosity and disappointment for both sides.

After the match, UI football captain Mujeeb believes his teammates’ performance was ‘phenomenal’ noting that UI was close to an equaliser before OAU pulled out of the game.

He added that OAU’s goal came more from chance than deliberate play, but stressed that UI would bounce back stronger in their buildup to the NUGA Games in November.