By Jeremiah Ola
The highly anticipated Berom Nations Cup Final between DU District and KURU District ended in a tense 1-1 draw in regulation time, with KURU District clinching the title 5-4 in a nail-biting penalty shootout.
Stephen Gyang gave Du District an early lead in the 8th minute, capitalizing on a fast start. However, Kuru responded quickly Lukas Samson equalized in the 14th minute, thanks to a costly error from the Du goalkeeper.
Both goalkeepers were called into action in the first half. Kuru’s keeper made a crucial save in the 17th minute, while his Du counterpart returned the favor in the 23rd. The fans were in full voice throughout, chanting joyfully, “Jejeje we dey go o, jeje we dey go o jeje!”
Du wasted a promising free-kick opportunity in the 30th minute. After the equalizer, Kuru appeared more dominant, but the game turned scrappy, with numerous fouls and heavy tackles limiting goal-scoring chances.
The second half mirrored the first, with physical battles all over the pitch and both goalkeepers largely untested. Du missed a golden opportunity in the 70th minute a close-range header narrowly missed the target. The Kuru captain received a yellow card late in the game for dissent.
One of the most dramatic moments came when the Kuru goalkeeper nearly scored from a long-range effort, only to be denied by a desperate last-ditch save from his opposite number.
With nothing to separate the sides after regulation time, the match went straight to penalties. Kuru District held their nerve and triumphed 5-4 in the shootout, sparking wild celebrations from their players and supporters.
Kuru District emerge Champions in the Maiden edition of the Berom Nations Cup!
