El-Kanemi Warriors were ruthless, Wikki Tourists were underprepared, and Evans Ogenyi has been honest enough to say so, while still finding reason to take pride in where his side ended up.
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Wikki Tourists head coach Evans Ogenyi has broken his silence following his team’s elimination from the 2026 President Federation Cup, acknowledging that El-Kanemi Warriors were simply the better side on the night and that logistical challenges in the build-up made a difficult task even harder, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng.
The Bauchi Elephants fell 3-1 to Kabiru Dogo’s Warriors at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina on Wednesday evening, with El-Kanemi racing into a commanding three-goal lead inside the opening 42 minutes through Daddy Abdulrahman, Musa Bashir and Muktar Ismail. Wikki reduced the deficit in the second half when Imamu Bala Magaji converted from the penalty spot, but the comeback never materialised. The Maiduguri side held firm and booked their place in a second President Federation Cup final in three years.
“The result is disappointing because it has brought an end to our campaign in the competition,” Ogenyi told the club’s media. “We did our best to win and qualify for the final, but God has destined that this is how far we can go.”
Late Arrival Disrupted Wikki’s Preparations
Ogenyi was candid about the circumstances that preceded the defeat. The coach revealed that Wikki Tourists arrived in Katsina late, creating unnecessary stress on the players before one of the most important fixtures of their season. Proper preparation in cup football at this stage is non-negotiable, and the disruption to routine clearly weighed on the squad’s performance.
It speaks to a broader challenge that grassroots and lower league clubs in Nigeria continue to face in competition settings the logistical gap between well-resourced sides and those working with tighter budgets and support structures. Wikki may have been the equal of their opponents in terms of desire, but arriving unprepared for a semi-final is a handicap that professional preparation should eliminate.
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Ogenyi Finds Pride in Reaching the Last Four
Despite the disappointment, Ogenyi chose to recognise what his technical team and players had achieved throughout the competition. For a Wikki Tourists side that has been navigating a rebuilding period since the coach’s appointment, reaching the last four of a national competition is a genuine benchmark.
“I want to appreciate the players and my technical team for their hard work and sacrifice,” Ogenyi said. “Considering the situation I met when I was appointed and had to manage what was on ground, reaching the semi-final and finishing among the last four teams in the competition is a commendable achievement.”
The statement carries the weight of context. Wikki Tourists have had recent struggles, including a relegation from the Nigeria Premier Football League, placing them in the same boat as El-Kanemi Warriors who were also relegated before both sides entered this year’s cup run. That two recently relegated clubs fought their way to the semi-finals shows the President Federation Cup’s capacity to provide meaningful football for sides in transition.
El-Kanemi Warriors Advance to Another Final
El-Kanemi’s route to the final underscores their quality in cup competition. The Borno Army, winners of the President Federation Cup in 1991, 1992 and 2024, are now targeting a fourth title. Their 3-1 victory over Wikki was authoritative from the first whistle, with all three goals arriving in the opening half to effectively end the contest as a contest before the break. Reaching a second consecutive final in Katsina is a statement of cup DNA.
They will face Ikorodu City in the final at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on June 27. The Lagos based side earned their place by edging Nasarawa United 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City. Goalkeeper Derrick Julu was the hero for the “Oga Boys”, saving two spot kicks to send Ikorodu City to their first ever major cup final in a historic night for the club.
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What the Final Promises
The contrast between the two finalists could not be more compelling. El-Kanemi Warriors carry three-time cup pedigree and the weight of a trophy hungry fanbase from Maiduguri. Ikorodu City carry a story of rapid ascent, giant killing runs against established clubs like Enyimba, and a goalkeeper who has kept saving them from elimination at the very last moment. A third-time champion defending cup culture against an upstart making history it is the kind of final Nigerian domestic football can be proud of.
For Wikki Tourists and Evans Ogenyi, the season ends in Katsina rather than Asaba. But the coach’s measured response to defeat, crediting his players, acknowledging the obstacles, and setting a foundation for next season, suggests a dressing room that knows where it stands and where it is going. Semi final finishes don’t win trophies. They do, however, build the belief that the next one might.
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📌 Did You Know?
- El-Kanemi Warriors’ three President Federation Cup titles came in 1991, 1992 and 2024, making them one of only a handful of clubs to win the competition in consecutive years, having done so in 1991 and 1992.
- Wikki Tourists’ only President Federation Cup title came in 1998, when they beat Plateau United on penalties after a goalless draw in the final at the Rancher’s Bees Stadium in Kaduna.
- Ikorodu City’s goalkeeper Derrick Julu saved two penalties in the semi final shootout against Nasarawa United, continuing a pattern of shootout heroics that has defined their cup run throughout the 2026 competition.
- The 2026 President Federation Cup final at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on June 27 will be Ikorodu City’s first ever appearance in a major national cup final since the club’s founding.
- Nasarawa United’s semi final defeat at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City mirrored their painful 2021 Federation Cup final loss at the same venue, when they lost on penalties to Bayelsa United after a 2-2 draw.
- Both El-Kanemi Warriors and Wikki Tourists were recently relegated from the Nigeria Premier Football League before entering this year’s President Federation Cup, making their semi-final meeting a clash between two clubs simultaneously fighting for domestic restoration.
- Ikorodu City knocked out two time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC in an earlier round of the 2026 President Federation Cup, a result that announced them as serious contenders long before the semi finals.
