Defending champions Lagos State University began their 2026 UNITECOL Cup campaign emphatically with a commanding 4-1 victory over Federal College of Education, Akoka at the UNILAG Sports Centre.
LASU starts the tournament in similar fashion to the last edition.
They remain a FOURMidable side.#UNITECOL26 pic.twitter.com/0A8uD8x3ZT
— Official54fx (@54footballx) May 18, 2026
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The opening fixture of the tournament saw LASU showcase their attacking quality and championship mentality as they comfortably dispatched FCE Akoka, making an early statement in the competition.
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Despite the convincing scoreline, LASU captain Ahmed Malik Ajibola insisted the defending champions are still far from their best and warned that the team is aiming to score even more goals as the tournament progresses.
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Jeremiah Chukwusa!!!! That’s the name of the first goalscorer of #UNITECOL26
Amazing positioning, even more amazing celebration.
Game on in UNILAG.
LASU 1-0 FCE AKOKA#54footballx pic.twitter.com/yrveq4mwUA
— Official54fx (@54footballx) May 18, 2026
Speaking after the match, Ajibola praised his teammates for their effort and determination while expressing gratitude for the winning start.
“Actually, I want to say kudos to the players, we tried our best and God gave us the win,” the LASU skipper said after the game.
The captain also dismissed suggestions that the team is feeling pressure as defending champions, stressing that the focus remains on improving performances and increasing their attacking output.
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“As defending champion, we aren’t under pressure to reclaim the title. We will be looking forward to scoring more goals. We are trying our best,” he stated.
Interestingly, despite the dominant 4-1 scoreline, Ajibola admitted LASU still has plenty of room for improvement.
“Today, we didn’t try our best, I won’t lie,” he confessed, suggesting that the team believes it can perform at an even higher level in upcoming matches.
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Ajibola also praised the growing awareness and visibility surrounding the UNITECOL Cup, noting that increased promotion has helped attract more supporters and attention to the competition.
“The brand gave us a good awareness, as it allows more people to come and watch us,” he added.
LASU Coach Sends Warning to Rivals
LASU head coach Zebulon Olohunjeda also expressed satisfaction with his side’s performance and made it clear that the defending champions are fully focused on winning the trophy again.
“I feel great because this is just the start of this tournament. And the last edition, we won it,” Olohunjeda said.
The coach emphasised that LASU has built a reputation as one of the strongest university football teams in the competition.
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He added, “We are a team everyone wants to play with. Also, we have been playing day in and day out. We appreciate our directorate and school management for giving us all the support that we need. It’s a good outing.”
Olohunjeda then delivered a direct message to other contenders, including hosts UNILAG, insisting his players are not intimidated by any opponent.
“We are not afraid of anybody. We believe we are coming out to defend the cup, and we are going to win it back-to-back. We are not afraid of UNILAG.”
