Nigeria’s only remaining flag-bearers in continental club competitions, Rivers United of Port Harcourt will be up against two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba of Aba in what is indisputably the star match of Round of 64 of this year’s Federation Cup competition.
The Pride of Rivers host Tanzania’s Young Africans in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals in Uyo on Sunday, and will then have the clash with Enyimba as vintage preparatory match for the return leg in Dar es Salaam.
At the draw held at the secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation in Abuja on Wednesday, Akwa United of Uyo were drawn to play Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in another big game, just as multi-title winners Rangers of Enugu will take on Adamawa United.
Heartland of Owerri will tackle Jedo FC of Sokoto, while Kogi United square up to Mailantarki of Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The women’s Round of 32 fixtures were also drawn on Wednesday, with Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt up against Golden Sun of Bayelsa State and Naija Ratels of FCT to play Adamawa Queens.
All Round of 64 matches in the men’s competition and Round of 32 matches in the women’s competition will hold on Wednesday, 26th April. The Round of 32 matches in the men’s competition have been scheduled for Wednesday, 3rd May, with the Round of 16 on Wednesday, 10th May. Quarter final matches are to take place on Wednesday, 17th May.
The semi-finals of both competitions will come up on Wednesday, 24th May with the men’s and women’s grand finale on Saturday, 27th May.
Round of 64 fixtures (Men)
Heartland FC (Imo) v Jedo FC (Sokoto)
Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) v Essien Ayi FC (Cross River)
Ahudiya FC (Abia) v Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa)
ABS FC (Kwara) v Bendel Insurance FC (Edo)
Standard FC (Kaduna) v Ekiti United (Ekiti)
FC Basira (Nasarawa) v Sunshine Stars (Ondo)
EFCC FC (FCT) v Katukan Tsafe FC (Zamfara)
Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) v Akwa United FC (Akwa Ibom)
Warri Wolves (Delta) v Beyond Limit FC (Ogun)
3SC (Oyo) v Adamimogo FC (Ondo)
Mighty Jets (Plateau) v Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger)
Malumfashi FC (Katsina) v Gombe United (Gombe)
Osun United (Osun) v Katsina United (Katsina)
Bendel Insurance Feeders (Edo) v Maikunkele FC (Niger)
Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) v Kano Pillars Jnr (Kano)
Lobi Stars (Benue) v FC One Rocket (Akwa Ibom)
Jama United (Zamfara) v Plateau United (Plateau)
Rivers United (Rivers) v Enyimba FC (Abia)
Ingas FC (Enugu) v Novia FC (Adamawa)
El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) v De Cardinal FC (Rivers)
Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) v Kebbi United (Kebbi)
DMD FC (Borno) v ABJ FC (Bauchi)
Ikorodu City (Lagos) v Crusader FC (Bayelsa)
Gateway United (Ogun) v Kwara United (Kwara)
FC Ebedei (Ekiti) v Hope of Glory FC (Cross River)
Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe) v Igbajo FC (Osun)
Adamawa United (Adamawa) v Rangers Int’l (Enugu)
Ilaji FC (Oyo) v Kano Pillars (Kano)
Green Berets FC (Kaduna) v FR Ebunuja (Imo)
Ozalla FC (Anambra) v Doma United (Gombe)
Kogi United Feeders (Kogi) v Edel FC (Anambra)
Mailantarki FC (FCT) v Kogi United (Kogi)
Round of 32 fixtures (Women)
Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa) v Maureen Mmadu KFC (Anambra)
Akwa Angels (Akwa Ibom) v Dannaz Ladies (Lagos)
Owo Itan FC (Akwa Ibom) v Fortress FC (Edo)
Honey Badgers (Benue) v Kada FC (Kaduna)
Heartland Queens (Imo) v Confluence Queens (Kogi)
Lakeside FC (Ogun) v Kwara Ladies (Kwara)
Sunshine Queens (Ondo) v Edo Queens (Edo)
Maureen Mmadu KFC (Abia) v Green Foot (Enugu)
FC Robo (Lagos) v Immaculate Queens (Enugu)
First Mah FC (Imo) v Royal Queens (Delta)
Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa) v Gallant FC (Kaduna)
Naija Ratels (FCT) v Adamawa Queens (Adamawa)
Rivers Angels (Rivers) v Golden Sun FC (Bayelsa)
Osun Babes (Osun) v Awka Angels (Anambra)
Ekiti Queens (Ekiti) v Moje Queens (Kwara)
Paul E. FC (FCT) v Delta Queens (Delta)
PHOTO 1: NFF GS, Dr. Sanusi (right) picks the first drawn team from the pot on Wednesday.
PHOTO 2: Sanusi (second right) with Prince Davidson Owumi (CEO of IMC, right), Charity Kadiri (NFF’s Director of Finance & Admin, third left), Ademola Olajire (NFF’s Director of Communications, second left) and Ruth David (NFF’s Director of Competitions, left).
