2019 Nigeria Federation Cup

(Redirected from 2019 Nigeria FA Cup)

The 2019 Nigeria Federation Cup (officially known as the 2019 AITEO Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 73rd edition of the Nigerian Federation Cup. It was held between 3 May and 28 July 2019.[1] The competition was contested by 74 teams, all which qualified via their state championships.

2019 AITEO Cup
Tournament details
Country Nigeria
Dates3 May – 28 July 2019
Teams74 (all)
64 (main competition)
Final positions
ChampionsKano Pillars (1st title)
Runner-upNiger Tornadoes
CAF Confederation Cup Niger Tornadoes[a]
Tournament statistics
Matches played73
Goals scored187 (2.56 per match)
← 2018
2021 →

Kano Pillars defeated Niger Tornadoes 4–3 on penalties after the match ended goalless to win their second AITEO Cup title since 1953.[2] As runners-up, Niger Tornadoes qualified for the 2019–20 CAF Confederation Cup since Kano Pillars had qualified for the 2019–20 CAF Champions League.[3]

Format edit

The competition was a single elimination knockout tournament, 74 teams qualified via their state championships as winners or runners-up. 54 teams qualified directly to the First Round while the 10 winners from the Rookie stages joined them. All matches were held in neutral venues.

Schedule edit

The schedule of the competition was as follows.[1]

Stage Dates
Rookie stage 3 May 2019
First round 25 May – 16 June 2019
Second round 19 & 20 June 2019
Third round 23 & 24 June 2019
Quarter-finals 28 June 2019
Semi-finals 4 July 2019
Final 28 July 2019 at Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna


Rookie play-offs edit

Matches were played on 3 May 2019.

Club's states in brackets.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Suleiman Boys (Jigawa) 0–8 Layin Zomo (Kaduna)
Gwandu (Kebbi) 5–2 Eaglets (Zamfara)
Setraco FC(FCT) 1–1 (3–2 p) J.M Liberty (Benue)
Mai Anguwa (Adamawa) 0–1 Qatar Academy (Borno)
FC Lokoja (Kogi) 0–3 Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger)
FC Starplus (Enugu) 0–0 (3–4 p) Heartland Comets (Imo)
Ben Ayade FC (Cross River) 0–0 (4–1 p) Confine FC (Akwa Ibom)
J.K.F FC (Ekiti) 0–0 (3–4 p) Police FC (Osun)
FC De Leo (Edo) 2–0 Abaye FC (Bayelsa)
Airtel FC (Taraba) 0–1 Yobe Desert Stars Feeders (Yobe)


First round edit

The 10 winners from the Rookie round joined the 54 teams already qualified for the main tournament. Matches were played between 25 May 2019 and 16 June 2019.

Club's states in brackets.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
25 May 2019
Yobe Desert Stars Feeders (Yobe) 0–1 Smart City FC (Lagos)
Osun United (Osun) 0–1 Shooting Stars (Oyo)
Ekiti United (Ekiti) 4–0 Ebonyi United (Ebonyi)
FC De Leo (Edo) 1–1 (4–5 p) EFCC FC (FCT)
Crown F.C. (Oyo) 3–0 Bayelsa United (Bayelsa)
Amanda FC (Imo) 1–2 Calabar Rovers (Cross River)
Adamawa United (Adamawa) 0–7 ABS FC (Kwara)
26 May 2019
Gateway United (Ogun) 1–0 Almar FC(Ogun)
Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) 2–2 (5–3 p) Mighty Jets F.C. (Plateau)
Aklosendi (Nasarawa) 3–1 Zabgai (Bauchi)
27 May 2019
Spartans FC (Lagos) 0–1 PH City F.C. (Rivers)
28 May 2019
Warri Wolves (Delta) 2–0 Doma United FC (Gombe)
Kogi United (Kogi) 3–3 (0–3 p) Akure City (Ondo)[b]
12 June 2019
Kwara United (Kwara) w/o Ben Ayade FC (Cross River)
15 June 2019
Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) 4–0 Qatar Academy (Borno)
Walli Flamingoes (Zamfara) 0–4 Delta Force FC (Delta)
Sokoto United (Sokoto) 1–2 Akwa United (Akwa Ibom)
Setraco United (FCT) 0–4 Plateau United (Plateau)
Rivers United (Rivers) 4–0 Timber Loader FC (Taraba)
Niger Tornadoes (Niger) 3–0 Fasbir (Sokoto)
Kebbi United (Kebbi) 0–1 Lobi Stars (Benue)
Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa) 1–2 Bendel Insurance (Edo)
Gwandu (Kebbi) 2–4 Katsina United (Katsina)
Gombe United (Gombe) w/o Ifeanyi Ubah FC (Anambra)
Enugu Rangers (Enugu) 2–0 Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger)
Abia Warriors (Abia) 1–0 Heartland Comets (Imo)
16 June 2019
Police FC (Osun 0–6 El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno)
Layin Zomo (Kaduna) 1–2 Sunshine Stars (Ondo)
Katsina United Feeders (Katsina) 0–1 Nasarawa United (Nasarawa)
Enyimba (Abia) 3–1 Kano Pillars Feeders (Kano)
Aspire FC (Anambra) 0–4 Kano Pillars (Kano)
Ambassadors FC Zaria (Kaduna) 1–0 Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe)


Second round edit

The 32 winners from the First round competed at this round. Matches were played on 19 and 20 June 2019.

Club's states in brackets.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
19 June 2019
Smart City FC (Lagos) 3–2 Enyimba (Abia)
Rivers United (Rivers) 3–0 Akwa United (Akwa Ibom)
PH City FC (Rivers) w/o El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno)
Katsina United (Katsina) 0–2 Shooting Stars (Oyo)
Gombe United (Gombe) 0–1 Niger Tornadoes (Niger)
Gateway United (Ogun) 0–2 Abia Warriors (Abia)
Enugu Rangers (Enugu) 0–2 Lobi Stars (Benue)
Ekiti United (Ekiti) 2–4 Bendel Insurance (Edo)
EFCC FC (FCT) 1–0 Sunshine Stars (Ondo)
Delta Force (Delta) 0–0 (10–11 p) Cynosure FC (Ebonyi)
Crown F.C. (Oyo) 1–1 (2–3 p) Kwara United (Kwara)
Calabar Rovers (Cross River) 1–1 (4–2 p) Wikki Tourists (Bauchi)
Ambassadors FC Zaria (Kaduna) 0–1 Warri Wolves (Delta)
Aklosendi (Nasarawa) 1–0 Nasarawa United (Nasarawa)
20 June 2019
Kogi United (Kogi) 0–3 Plateau United (Plateau)
ABS FC (Kwara) 0–1 Kano Pillars (Kano)


Third round edit

Sixteen teams participated in this round. Matches were played on 23 and 24 June 2019.

Club's states in brackets.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
23 June 2019
Smart City FC (Lagos) 0–0 (5–4 p) Shooting Stars FC (Oyo)
Rivers United (Rivers) 2–0 Warri Wolves (Delta)
Lobi Stars (Benue) 3–1 Abia Warriors (Abia)
Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) 2–2 (4–5 p) Niger Tornadoes (Niger)
Bendel Insurance (Edo) 1–1 (5–4 p) El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno)
24 June 2019
Plateau United (Plateau) 0–0 (4–5 p) Calabar Rovers (Cross River)
Kano Pillars (Kano) 0–0 (4–2 p) Kwara United (Kwara)
EFCC FC (FCT) 0–1 Aklosendi (Nasarawa)
23 June 2019 Rivers United 2–0Warri WolvesYenagoa Township Stadium, Yenagoa
16:00 (UTC+1)
23 June 2019 Cynosure FC2–2
(4–5 p)
Niger Tornadoes Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi
17:00 (UTC+1)
  •  
  •  
  • Yusuf   55'
  • Saib   75'
23 June 2019 Bendel Insurance 1–1
(5–4 p)
El-Kanemi WarriorsRwang Pam Stadium, Jos
17:00   44' (pen.) Eze   70'   90'
24 June 2019 Plateau United0–0
(4–5 p)
Calabar Rovers
17:00 (UTC+1)
24 June 2019 Kano Pillars 0–0
(4–2 p)
Kwara UnitedFIFA Goal Project Stadium, Abuja
17:00 (UTC+1) Akinmoladun   52'
24 June 2019 EFCC FC0–1 Aklosendi Confluence Stadium, Lokoja
17:00 (UTC+1) Ambina   7'

Quarter-finals edit

Matches were played on 28 June 2019.

Club's states in brackets.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Niger Tornadoes (Niger) 0–0 (5–4 p) Smart City FC (Lagos)
Lobi Stars (Benue) 0–0 (3–4 p) Rivers United (Rivers)
Kano Pillars 4–0 Aklosendi (Nasarawa)
Bendel Insurance (Edo) 0–0 (4–5 p) Calabar Rovers (Cross River)
28 June 2019 Kano Pillars 4–0AklosendiAhmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna
16:00 (UTC+1)
  • Adamu   17', 36'
  • Usman   44' (o.g.)
  • Salisu   54'

Semi-finals edit

Matches were played on 4 July 2019.

Club's states in brackets.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Rivers United (Rivers) 1–2 Niger Tornadoes (Niger)
Calabar Rovers (Cross River) 1–1 (2–4 p)} Kano Pillars (Kano)

Final edit

The final was held on 28 July 2019 at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna after it was moved from the original date 24 July 2019.[4]

Club's states in brackets.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Kano Pillars (Kano) 0–0 (4–3 p) Niger Tornadoes (Niger)



 2019 Aiteo Cup winners 
Kano Pillars
1st title

Notes edit

  1. ^ Niger Tornadoes qualified as runners-up since Kano Pillars had qualified for the CAF Champions League.
  2. ^ Kogi United qualified to the next round in place of Akure City, as they couldn't honour their next fixture due to financial reasons.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "NFF releases 2019 Aiteo Cup timetable". brila.net. 9 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Kano Pillars win historical national cup in Nigeria". CAFonline.com. 28 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Niger Tornadoes makes history as they qualify for CAF Confederation Cup". zonefoot.com. 4 July 2019. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "Aiteo Cup finals shifted forward to Sunday July 28". zonefoot.com. 21 July 2019. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.


External links edit

AITEO Cup 2019 at RSSSF.com