Abuja Pre-Season Tournament- TEAP FC Starts Campaign With a Win

Chigozie Metu scored an individual goal of the highest quality as TEAP FC began their Abuja Pre-Season campaign on an impressive note with a convincing 4-1 demolition of Police Machine.

He capped a fantastic show with a wonderful solo run 30 yards from goal and precise finish.

Team talisman Emeka Uzor headed in the first before striker Onyebuchi Chukwu scored a close range drive and winger Abubakar Mohammed added the final strike.

Shehu Musa pulled one back for Police 10 minutes before half time..

It was a deserved win for
TEAP FC, who under manager Donald Malomo-Paris look like a team that could challenge for a Glo Nigeria Premier League spot this season.

They now have tough fixtures against MFM FC and then Alfa FC, which will serve as a better indication as to where the RCCG side rank in the preliminary round of the tourney.

TEAP were excellent in the opening exchanges and took the lead in the 2nd minute when team playmaker Tunde Adams arrived fast to send fair-skinned Yisa Champo through on goal, and the skillful player delivered a left-wing cross back across goal, which Emeka was too motivated to miss.

Police Machine had chances to score, but it took the sharp reflexes of Ike Dike in goal for TEAP to salvage the situation. They were rewarded when Sunday Apoche brought down Musa in the 18-yard box. The big defender made an uncharacteristic error of judgement. The centre referee booked him, and Musa levelled up for Police.

The moment of the match came just after half-time. Tunde played the ball back to Metu 25 yards from goal, he left his marker with a Cruyff turn before shifting down the right and into the area where he calmly slotted in a teasing cross to Onyebuchi who scored from a tight angle. It was a sensational goal and was witnessed by Nigeria U17 women gaffer Bala Nkiyu.

Police were awful during that period, and Metu took matters to his hands with the help of stand-in skipper Ayo'oluwa Adetola and Tunde. The Redeemers got on the scoresheet again 15 minutes after the restart when Tunde beat three defenders to unselfishly set-up Metu.
It was one of the lapses of concentration from Police, who were clueless and helpless in the second half.

But with fourteen minutes of the match remaining TEAP did breach opposing team's defence once more when substitute Abubakar swept in Metu's pinpoint delivery.

Meanwhile, Emeka Uzor has reflected that TEAP FC will ‘never give up’ in their quest for glory in the 2013/2014 campaign.

The youthful forward made this declaration at the Area 3 Pitch after his team defeated Police Machine.

“We deserve to win against Police Machine.”

“We struggled at the latter stages of the first half, but on a personal level I think my form will get better with more games under my belt.”

“For every match this season we know our opponents will prove stubborn, but we are prepared.

“Looking at the team now it’s clear we are here to take every match like a cup final.

“Having Ik Uzor to miss out is hard, but then on the other hand younger players like me, Ayo'oluwa, Tunde and Metu are giving their all to the team.

“We were aware of the difficulty from the start, so there have been no surprises.

“We’ll never give up, and will always continue to fight.

“Even though we impressed against Police, we need to dust ourselves off and prepare for the next battle against MFM FC on Thursday