Imperialism. The policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization. In Africa, there is a belief that the struggle against Imperialism still persists. In the TCC League, a club South West of Nigeria, may not be extending their influence over the entire league, but they are definitely doing it over some clubs, as their steady rise continues. The league’s table proppers in Season one, they markedly rose in season two, and are on a trajectory even Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will be envious of. 

The season began in the least Imperial way, a 1-2 reversal at Dino, but what followed was a three-game winning streak, and in imperious fashion too; A 4-2 win over Broad City, a 2-0 win over Valiant, and a 3-1 win at Dannaz. They were only stopped in their tracks by the roaring Iganmu Tiger, who seemed to do enough to force them to a 1-1 draw, perhaps the wounds that made them stutter in a 9-goal thriller against Atlantic Business, where they fell 5-4. A 3-all thriller with Sporting Lagos would follow, before a 4-2 loss to Beyond Limits that confirmed that a blip had become a slump. 

However, it didn’t last, and in typical Imperial fashion, they would bounce back, barracking Gbagada 12-3 in two weeks, 6 goals in each game, a confirmation of not only how tables had turned, but also about the swagger, and finesse with which Coach Ayodeji’s side played. 

However, they were brought straight back to earth in the following weeks, as Beyond Limits did the double on them, and Sporting Lagos handed them a dose of their own medicine by handing them a 5-2 hiding. They would get a measure of revenge against Atlantic Business with a 1-0 win, while also tearing apart Iganmu Tiger 4-1. A 3-1 loss to Dannaz followed that victory, but that would be it, as they went on a three-game win streak to end the season. A streak that saw them score nine times, and concede twice. Two 3-1 wins over Valiant and Dino, only sandwiched in between by a 3-0 win at Broad City. A good season, truly, only not an imperious one. 

In the Cup, Imperial were looking to build on the season prior, where they had gone on a fairytale run. They were catching no one by surprises here, and a 2-1 win over Dannaz was a good start, and after two matchdays, they had seemingly booked a quarterfinal ticket, with a 3-0 win at Broad City. A 3-0 reversal to Dino was more about complacency, and a 3-2 win over Iganmu meant they did no favours. However, once surprise packages themselves, Imperial were stunned by Valiant in the quarter-finals, having no answers in a 1-0 O loss. 

A season that promised so much on a team level, but delivered more on an individual state for the players. A step in the right direction, the struggle to beat Imperial, perhaps, a bigger source of pride for many TCC teams.