Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions Rivers United and foremost top-flight side Enyimba will renew their rivalry in the round of 64 of this season’s Federation Cup after they were drawn together on Wednesday evening, www.aclsports.com reports.
Rivers United – Nigeria’s remaining representative in the CAF competitions this season – edged Enyimba and others to clinch a first league title last season and will now face off with the Elephants who denied them a place in the CAF Confed Cup group stages back in 2021. Finidi George’s Enyimba last won the national cup in 2014 and must now overcome the Pride of Rivers if they want to pursue a fifth crown.
In another high-profile pairing, 2017 champions Akwa United will face Wikki Tourists while Kwara United and Gateway United will lock horns in another interesting matchup. Heartland FC of Owerri have been drawn to play Jedo FC of Sokoto while Kogi United square up to Mailantarki FC of FCT.
All Round of 64 matches in the men’s competition will hold on Wednesday, 26 April. The Round of 32 matches in the men’s competition have been scheduled for Wednesday, 3 May, with the Round of 16 on Wednesday, 10 May. Quarter-final matches are to take place on Wednesday, 17 May. The semi-finals of the competition will come up on Wednesday, 24 May with the grand finale set for Saturday, 27 May.
ALL THE ROUND OF 64 FIXTURES (MEN)
Heartland FC (Imo) vs Jedo FC (Sokoto)
Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) Vs Essien Ayi FC (Cross River)
Ahudiya FC (Abia) Vs Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa)
ABS FC (Kwara) Vs Bendel Insurance FC (Edo)
Standard FC (Kaduna) Vs Ekiti United (Ekiti)
FC Basira (Nasarawa) Vs Sunshine Stars (Ondo)
EFCC FC (FCT) Vs Katukan Tsafe FC (Zamfara)
Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) Vs Akwa United FC (Akwa Ibom)
Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Beyond Limit FC (Ogun)
3SC (Oyo) Vs Adamimogo FC (Ondo)
Mighty Jets (Plateau) Vs Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger)
Malumfashi FC (Katsina) Vs Gombe United (Gombe)
Osun United (Osun) Vs Katsina United (Katsina)
Bendel Insurance Feeders (Edo) Vs Maikunkele FC (Niger)
Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) Vs Kano Pillars Jnr (Kano)
Lobi Stars (Benue) Vs FC One Rocket (Akwa Ibom)
Jama United (Zamfara) Vs Plateau United (Plateau)
Rivers United (Rivers) Vs Enyimba FC (Abia)
Ingas FC (Enugu) Vs Novia FC (Adamawa)
El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) Vs De Cardinal FC (Rivers)
Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Kebbi United (Kebbi)
DMD FC (Borno) Vs ABJ FC (Bauchi)
Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Crusader FC (Bayelsa)
Gateway United (Ogun) Vs Kwara United (Kwara)
FC Ebedei (Ekiti) Vs Hope of Glory FC (Cross River)
Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe) Vs Igbajo FC (Osun)
Adamawa United (Adamawa) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu)
Ilaji FC (Oyo) Vs Kano Pillars (Kano)
Green Berets FC (Kaduna) Vs FR Ebunuja (Imo)
Ozalla FC (Anambra) Vs Doma United (Gombe)
Kogi United Feeders (Kogi) Vs Edel FC (Anambra)
Mailantarki FC (FCT) Vs kogi United (Kogi)