Time: 4PM

Saturday 7th October, 2023

Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne

A revenge match? Perhaps so. Imperial will host Gbagada in Ikenne a season on from a 12-3 aggregate shellacking. Coach Akinyelu Olajide described it as a rude awakening. Gbagada would go on to reach the TCC Cup final, while Imperial watched from home. 

The Blue Eagles have always been good starters. They have won all of their opening TCC League matches, while Imperial are oft slow starters themselves. The last time they avoided defeat on opening day was in the first TCC season, when they propped the table at its end. Like the Yorubas most fondly say, “Ibere ki se onise” that is, “It’s not about how good you start, but how well you end”. 

In League meetings, Gbagada do not have a good record against Imperial. They have lost four of their six league meetings, including three of the last four. Perhaps the only consolation is that, Gbagada’s sole win, came on the road a 1-0 win February 2021. Coach Akinyelu would definitely not mind a repeat of that on opening day. 

STAT ATTACK

26 – The number of goals scored in six league meetings between both sides, an average of 4.33 per game. Flurry