Seals Cup 2023: MBBS scale through to the quarter-finals as LARIS, ASSE get the drop
IBADAN (Made In Africa Sport) – It was a thrilling matchday at the SUB pitch in the University of Ibadan, as five teams joined Philosophy and Industrial Products Engineering (IPE) on the road to the Seals Cup finals on Tuesday, 17 October 2023.
Physiology, Computer Science, and MBBS progressed through to the quarter-finals on penalties, while Statistics and Political Science sealed their victories by full-time.
It was an action-packed afternoon, with five matches playing in about six hours. The games felt a little rushed, but the spectators got their time’s value in terms of entertainment on the pitch.
LARIS 0 (2) – (4) 0 Physiology
Physiology went one man down in the first few seconds of the game due to injury and lack of a squad bench. They went on to play with 10 men, holding the defensive fort against LARIS’s incoming attacks.
Mertesacker looked to have put his side ahead in the first half, but the goal was chalked off for a foul in the build-up. The striker played in from the left today and went close again before the close of the first half with a well-placed header. Physiology goalkeeper Tomiwa was quick to get down and gather before matters got worse.
The second half was an uneventful show, and Physiology emerged winners on penalties, as the players converted all their four spot-kicks against LARIS’s two.
Statistics 1 – 0 Animal Science
Statistics edged past closely matched rivals Animal Science as Babs booked a place in the quarter-finals for his team with his fourth goal of the tournament. The Animal Science team was without first-choice goalie Enigma, and they were punished in his absence.
Statistics will take on Political Science in the quarter-finals as they challenge for the Seals Cup trophy.
Forestry 0 (2) – (4) 0 Computer Science
The face-off between Forestry and Computer Science took a penalty shootout to separate the sides, as they held one another off to a 0 – 0 draw at full-time. Computer Science scored all their penalty kicks, securing their spot in the last 8.
The Computer Science team will then go against Physiology on Thursday, October 19, 2023, for their quarter-final tie.
ASSE 1 – 2 Political Science
The Arts and Social Sciences Education team succumbed to an early knockout exit, as Political Science ran away as winners in their round of 16 fixture. Political Science midfielder Pogba was particularly instrumental in undoing the Faculty of Education giants, as he maintained a cool demeanor in the middle of the park to seal the win for his team.
Microbiology 0 (2) – (4) 0 MBBS
The game of the day rounded up proceedings at SUB on Tuesday as MBBS ground out a win on penalties against a resilient Microbiology side. Pre-match opinions tipped MBBS for the win, but Microbiology ensured they left an impression on both opponents and spectators. According to one fan, the Microbiology team ‘didn’t win the match, but they won our hearts.’
MBBS continued on a clean slate in the competition, along with IPE and Statistics, although they were unable to find a way through the defense for the first time in this year’s Seals Cup, as Microbiology proved impenetrable in regular time. MBBS triumphed in a tension-packed penalty shootout, netting four out of five penalties to book their quarter-final slot against Faculty of Technology giants IPE.
Psychology and Chemistry go head to head on Wednesday, 18 October, 2023, and the winner will take on Philosophy in the quarter-finals. After that, we’ll be down to the eight teams looking to lift the Seals Cup this year.
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