By Oluwademilade Ogunleye
The first semi-final clash of the 2025 Seals Cup lived up to expectations as Human Kinetics Education (KHE) secured a 2-0 victory over the resilient Anthropology/Archaeology side, thanks to a decisive second-half brace from Debby. The match which was held at the Zik Maracanna was a display of tactical discipline, bursts of brilliance, and one player’s standout performance.
KHE signaled their intent from the blast of the whistle, beginning the encounter with aggressive pressing and swift transitions. Their high tempo unsettled the Andah babes early on, with several chances falling their way within the opening minutes. However, the Archaeology/Anthropology defence, anchored by Connie and her backline, stood firm under the pressure, absorbing it with much composure.
Despite KHE’s early dominance, it was not a one-sided affair. Gloria and Kemi had glimpses of goal at the other end for Archeology in a search for the opening goal. Yet, the KHE midfield proved tenacious, disrupting any rhythm and ensuring their goalkeeper had little to do in the opening half.Both teams went into halftime goalless, unable to rustle each other’s net.
However, the deadlock was broken just two minutes into the second half. Debby, alert as ever, pounced on a defensive lapse from the Andah babes’ defence, clinically slotting the ball home to give KHE the lead. Just before the dust could settle, Debby struck again. A well-placed shot doubled KHE’s advantage within seconds, throwing the Anthropology/Archaeology team into disarray. With a two-goal cushion, KHE controlled the tempo of the game, forcing their opponents to chase shadows.
Debby, already on a brace, was relentless in her search for a hat-trick, making intelligent runs and keeping the opposition defence on their toes. Connie, however, remained a shining light in the backline for the Archeology defense, making key interceptions and last-ditch tackles to prevent further damage.
Anthropology/Archaeology pushed forward in search of a lifeline, but their efforts were repeatedly thwarted by a disciplined KHE midfield and a lack of final-third sharpness. The clock wound down with the Andah babes unable to find a breakthrough, and the referee’s final whistle confirmed KHE’s ticket to the final.
This victory means that KHE now advance to the Seals Cup final, where they will seek to be crowned champions of the tournament. Anthropology/Archaeology, meanwhile, will regroup and turn their attention to Friday’s third-place playoff with a shot at ending their tournament on a high.
