Facing local favourites IFK Göteborg in our opening group stage fixture of the Gothia Puma Trophy B17, our boys delivered a commanding performance that ended 2–1 in our favour. From the first whistle to the final minute, we showed intent, control, and quality, even if we left a few goals behind.

Team News

We lined up in a balanced 4-3-3 setup, with Ousman Sillah behind a back four of Haruna, Samuel, Ephraim, and Solomon. In midfield, Farouk shielded the defence while Oluebube and Stanley linked play and drove the attack. The front three of Seun, Abubakir, and Fuhad offered pace, width, and presence up top.

Early Control, Early Goal

We started brightly, keeping the ball moving and stretching Göteborg wide on the big pitch. The early pressure paid off when Oluebube latched onto a pass from Seun just outside the box and placed a calm finish into the net in the 9th minute. 1–0.

We should have scored more. Several big chances went begging in the first half, and while we were clearly on top, the scoreboard didn’t reflect our dominance.

A Touch of Sparkle

After the restart, Seun Akanji took centre stage. Moments into the second half, a quick break with passes from behind put Seun in front of goal, and the keeper parried, but was not strong enough to stop the goal. Seun was electric throughout, drifting past defenders, creating space, and setting the tone in the final third.

Strong at the Back

Despite our missed chances, our defence stayed locked in. Ousman made two outstanding saves to keep our lead intact, reacting quick and diving low to push away a snapshot shot and later dealing with a barrage of corners. IFK Göteborg did pull one back late around the 55th minute, but we managed the closing stages well to seal all three points.

Standout Performers

Seun Akanji – lively, fearless, and decisive.

Ousman Sillah – alert and dependable when called upon.

Oluebube Ogowuikwu – dictated play and opened the scoring.

What’s Next?

We return to action tomorrow, 15th July, against Qarabag FK at 4:40 p.m. CEST (3:30 p.m. WAT). They also won their first game (2–1 vs Mjällby), so it’s shaping up to be a thrilling top-of-the-table clash. If we convert our chances better, we’ll be a tough side to stop.