Doma United retain Gombe FA Cup, coach dedicates victory to late father
Akinade Onigbinde, Technical Adviser of New Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Doma United on Wednesday won the 2023 Gombe State FA Cup after defeating city rivals Gombe United.
In the final match played at the Pantami Township Stadium in Gombe, a penalty kick shootout had to be anpplied after both sides played out a 1-1 draw.
The reports gathered that the match ended 9-8 in favour of Doma United after a player from Gombe United missed his kick.
Later, Doma United’s coach, Akinade Onigbinde, said the win which earned him his first trophy at the club was as because of hard work and resilience throughout the game.
Onigbinde said he was dedicating the trophy to his late father who believed in his coaching ability and encouraged him to become a coach as against his own wish.
“Initially, I never wanted to go for the coaching job. I played football and people kept encouraging me, but my father pushed me to go for a coaching course in 2004.
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“When he did that, I tried pulling out but he kept encouraging me.
“Unfortunately, I lost him in 2010 and it (the trophy) reminds me of him a lot. So, every trophy I win will be dedicated to him,” he said.
On his team’s performance, Onigbinde said: “Doma United are a team which has come to stay, play, perform and succeed and it is better people realise that now.”
He added that the club’s owner, Suleiman Umar, was the team’s biggest motivation in view of his efforts to make sure that the team survives.
“After each match, everyone receives match bonus, this motivates and encourages the players to do more,” he said.
On his part, the chief coach of Gombe United, Bashir Saleh, told NAN that his side were unlucky with the penalty kick shootout.
Saleh said winning a game through a penalty kick shootout was dependent on luck.
He nonetheless commended his players for putting up a good performance which led to equalising the goal scored by Charles Chibuke in the 32nd minute of the game.
NAN reports that Samuel Mathias equalised for Gombe United after 72 minutes.
Doma United are the defending champions of the competition after having won the 2022 edition on June 16 by defeating Gombe United.
They had won 4-2 via a penalty kick shootout.
