Imperial Grind Out Win at Valiant to Continue 100% Run

Imperial made it two wins out of two after a hard-fought victory over Valiant.

On a rain-soaked pitch, both sides struggled for the most part of the game. From incomplete passes to inadvertent slips, team-mates struggled to find each other and goals were hard to come by.

A dramatic first half was summarized by how the first goal was scored. A failed attempt to clear the ball away from goal found an Imperial player. A few passes later, the ball fell to Aremu’s feet. His attempted shot ricocheted off Zakari’s foot and bounced into the net.

Just like the first, the second half was uneventful as both sides failed to find their rhythm and get into gear. That meant Imperial got their second away win in as many matches while Valiant, despite playing the last two games at home, are still searching for a win.

Title:  Real Sapphire, Dino Fire Blanks in Stalemate

Real Sapphire and Dino were inseparable as both sides failed to find the back of the net in a goalless game.

The contest kicked off on a slow note, with both sides grappling for the lion share of the ball possession. A lot of the action in the midfield produced little next to nothing going forward as the front men for both sides failed to find their balance.

The hosts broke through Dino’s defensive ranks a few times in the first half. But those moves ended with them on the wrong end of the offside line. Coach Gibson’s side, on the other hand, found the hosts’ defense too difficult to break through.

The tussle dragged into the second half with the same twist. Both sides remained impregnable, regardless of the tactical switches and the player substitutions. The game would go on to become the first goalless fixture of the 2024/2025 TCC League season.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Sunday Ali (Real Sapphire)

The goalkeeper made some strong stops to deny Dino the win and help his side maintain their run of clean sheet.