Lagos Liga: Miracle-inspired Tacha Titans extinguishes Firecrackers in explosive encounter

Tacha FC earned a vital 4-2 victory over Firecrackers FC at the Campos Memorial Mini Stadium on Monday, 16 December 2024, with Okpaise Miracle playing a key role in their final Group D match at the Lagos Liga.

The win places Tacha Titans in pole position to reach the quarter-finals, pending the outcome of the final Group D fixture between Primal Sporting FC and Supremos FC.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The match started at a cautious pace, with both teams assessing each other before the first real moment of quality arrived in the 15th minute. Tacha FC found the breakthrough when Okpaise Miracle delivered a well-timed assist to Joachim Ebube, who finished confidently to put his side ahead.

However, the joy was momentarily dampened when Ebube received a yellow card in the same minute, forcing him to tread carefully for the remainder of the contest.

Firecrackers, despite showing intent, struggled to break down a well-organised Tacha’s defence. Their attempts to create clear-cut chances were repeatedly thwarted, leaving them trailing at the break.

The second half provided a flurry of goals, with Tacha taking full control of proceedings. The scoring resumed in the 27th minute when Onoja Matthew doubled their lead, converting from close range.

Just a minute later, Okpaise Miracle turned from provider to scorer, extending Tacha’s advantage to 3-0 and further asserting his influence on the match.

Firecrackers responded almost immediately in the 29th minute, with Ikobong Abasikeme finding the back of the net to pull one back. Their hopes of a comeback, however, were short-lived as Tacha restored their three-goal cushion in the 40th minute when Ebube grabbed his second of the day to put the result beyond doubt.

The Sunday Odetayo-led team managed to score a late consolation in the 41st minute through Oluwafolahanmi Sodeke, but it was not enough to change the outcome of the match.

With the victory, Tacha FC moved to the top of Group D, placing themselves in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals. However, their fate remains undecided, as they must wait for the result of the match between Primal Sporting FC and Supremos FC.

For the Firecrackers, the loss all but ends their hopes of progressing, as they struggled to match Tacha’s attacking intensity.

MATCH STATISTICS

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

TEAM SHEETS