The third week of the Nathaniel Idowu U-16 Football League delivered an action-packed series of matches, with goals flying across the pitches and teams beginning to establish their identities. In one of the most highly anticipated matches, league leaders Fortune FA dominated Seraphic in a high-scoring affair.
Fortune FA's match against Seraphic ended in a resounding victory, with Adebayo Lateef breaking the deadlock in the 30th minute. Odesola Odunayo then scored a hat-trick in the 35th, 80th, and 85th minutes, while Akanbi Quadri and Adetola Faizor added to the tally in the 40th and 90th minutes, respectively. This result has highlighted Seraphic's defensive struggles, having conceded 17 goals in just three matches.
Another match saw Moore Wins, who had a promising 2-2 draw in Week 1, struggle against St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg's Tajudeen Abdulrasaq and Olajide Dolapo scored early in the 10th and 20th minutes, respectively. Although Israel Igoh scored a late consolation goal for Moore Wins in the 50th minute, Emmanuel Ebube's 48th-minute strike sealed a 3-1 win for St. Petersburg.
Young Eleven demonstrated their strength by ending Bright Stars' unbeaten run with a hard-fought victory. Osbert Samuel opened the scoring in the 30th minute, but Sheriff equalized for Bright Stars in the 40th minute. Young Eleven's Lati and Raphael scored in the 50th and 80th minutes, respectively, securing a statement win and showcasing their defensive prowess, having conceded only two goals in three games.
In a dramatic match between two winless teams, Atico and Heritage played out an entertaining encounter. Atico seemed poised for victory after goals from Korede and Adewale, but Heritage staged a remarkable comeback. Joshua Garba, Jonathan Norbert, and Chukwuemeka Bryan all scored for Heritage, completing a stunning turnaround and lifting them out of the relegation zone.
Ajegunle continued to impress, building on their 6-0 win over Divinely Blessed last week. The match was closely contested until the hour mark, but Ajegunle took control with goals from Peter Adoga in the 57th minute, Akindipe Timilehin in the 68th minute, and Onyebuchi Okolo in the 81st minute. Kosi scored a late consolation goal for Divinely Blessed in the 90+2 minute.
The results from week three have begun to shape the league standings, with Fortune FA maintaining their lead and Ajegunle emerging as genuine challengers. The league's competitive nature is evident, with several teams still vying for position and a strong finish to the season.
Key points
- Fortune FA extended their unbeaten run with a dominant win over Seraphic.
- Young Eleven ended Bright Stars' unbeaten run with a hard-fought victory.
- Ajegunle secured back-to-back wins, establishing themselves as challengers to Fortune FA's dominance.
