City FC began their 2026 Nationwide League One (NLO) Cup campaign with a convincing 3-0 away victory over Paul E FC at the Area 3 Pitch, Abuja, on Sunday.

City FC took the lead through Devin Chukwu, before Austin Ozowuru added the second goal.

Gods Power Ekponimi completed the victory to give City FC all three points in the North-Central Zone encounter.

Sunday Bege, coach of City FC, attributed the victory to the team’s preparation and familiarity with their opponents.

Bege said the players had trained adequately in the preceding two weeks and executed the tactical instructions given to them, in spite of a few shortcomings.

“Before this game, we trained enough, and what you saw today is a reflection of what we have been doing for the past two weeks.

“This is a team I have worked with before, and I know their weaknesses and strengths. What we did today was exactly what we asked the boys to do,” he said.

The coach expressed confidence in City FC’s prospects, describing the club as an established brand in Abuja and promising another strong performance in their next match against Bussdor FC.

Bege also said the club was determined to return to the Nigeria National League (NNL), having previously played in the second-tier competition before dropping back to the NLO.

“Our coming here is not by fluke. We are coming back, and we are going to get the promotion because we have the pedigree and believe we can do it,” he said.

On the NLO Cup format, Bege said the home-and-away arrangement would provide players with valuable exposure and opportunities to demonstrate their abilities.

He called for renewed attention to grassroots football development, urging football authorities to identify and nurture talented players from Nigerian academies and lower league clubs.

The coach also cautioned against interference in team selection, saying coaches should be allowed to make independent decisions without pressure to select players imposed by agents or other interests.

Bege said developing local talent and improving coaching autonomy would help strengthen Nigeria’s national teams.

Meanwhile, Bolarinwa Adebowale, coach of Paul E FC, said injuries to three players affected his team’s performance in the second half.

Adebowale said his side performed well in the first half but lost momentum after the left-back, right winger and defensive midfielder sustained injuries.

“We had three injuries in the first half. The left fullback was out, the attacking winger on the right side was out, and the defensive midfielder was also out.

“That was a disadvantage in the second half, as we could not contain them. They also brought in five new players, which contributed to the outcome,” he said.

Despite the defeat, Adebowale praised the NLO Cup format, saying the home-and-away fixtures would improve players’ match fitness and create more opportunities for development ahead of the regular league season.

He said Paul E FC would adopt a more attacking approach in their next match and hoped the injured players would recover in time.

The 2026 NLO Cup features clubs competing across regional zones, with teams seeking to progress to the national finals. 

(NAN)