Ajise Israel (AJ7)
The Science Education Arts Law and Social Sciences (SEALS) Cup kicked off on Wednesday, November 11, and as of the time of this report, each of the 32 teams involved has played two matches in the group stage.
Five teams have already qualified for the Round-Of-16 stage after six interesting matchdays. Surprise package, Public Health in Group A booked a knockout slot after defeating group rivals, Economics and Educational Management.
Arts and Social Science Education are strong contenders for this year’s price; as team captain and Zik hall’s sports minister, Jamiu inspired his team to two victories and maximum of six points against Microbiology and Physiology in Group C.
The Department of Statistics has shown their Group D rivals that they are not just about numbers as they comfortably triumphed on the pitch. They defeated Sociology and Pharmacy in their opening fixtures to seal a spot in the next round.
UI Pioneer’s midfield player Kayode, likewise captained his side to an opening victory against Psychology before his team claimed a second victory to sit at the top of Group F.
The Industrial & Production Engineering’s narrow defeat to Anthropology & Archaeology team on Monday meant that the Political Science were guaranteed a place in the next round after their victory against Forestry.
The third round of fixtures in the Group stage resumes on Tuesday, November 28 promises to excite as struggling teams will be desperate to clinch automatic qualification to the Knockout stage or settle for a less prestigious best-loser spot.
Poor pitches and inaccurate officiating
The organization of the competition has been good so far. However, the room for improvement is a very large one. There have been complaints about the pitch at Awo Stadium. Some players who pleaded anonymity told UCJ UI that the grass is overgrown, and as such, moving the ball on the floor is always a herculean task.
Also, there have been talks about the officiating. In the game between Animal Science and Education Management, the referee struggled to keep up with the pace, and he overlooked some fouls. The game eventually ended in a 1-1 stalemate, as Education Management scored a late equalizer from the penalty spot.
Asides from the little complaints, the competition has gone on smoothly, and hopefully, a deserving winner will emerge at the end of it all.
