UNILAG 2022: How an insane rivalry between UNILAG and UI supporters stole the show on Day 5

Pulse Sports Nigeria was in position to witness possibly the biggest rivalry in Nigerian football at the moment after events that happened between the hosts, UNILAG and UI on Wednesday.

The male football team of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, the Marines, played host to their counterparts from the University of Ibadan, UI, in what was a southwest derby in the quarter-final stage of the competition.

However, this tie turned out to be more than a derby when fans of the visitors, UI, stormed the main bowl of the Sports Centre with a casket that read "RIP UNILAG" while chanting and jumping around.

On sighting the provocative stunt, the supporters of UNILAG became visibly agitated as they began to hurl missiles at the UI fans.

It degenerated into a big issue leading to an increased presence of security personnel, who did their best to try to calm the home fans.

Despite their best efforts, the home fans would not be pacified as they denied their U.I counterparts seats in the stands, leading to the visitors cheering on their team for the duration of the match, with a security barricade to keep them in check.

The match itself turned out to be a proper encounter with UNILAG dominating most parts of the game and coming out 1-0 winners.

A goalmouth scramble in the second half saw Oluwadamilola Seun react the quickest to tuck home and send the hosts into the last four.

The Marines were the better team from start to finish and deserved to have won by a larger margin after opening up UI several times but the visitors had their goalkeeper, Akinfolayan Abiola, to thank for saving their blushes.

After the final whistle, UNILAG fans invaded the pitch in jubilation, celebrating with the same casket as they chanted "RIP UI, you're U-seless."

In the end, it was UI who lost the match and the war.

UNILAG joins the favourite for the gold medal, University of Ilorin, who were also too good for ATBU in their first quarter-final tie at the Sports Centre.

The other two teams who booked a place in the semi-finals of the football competition were Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, and NSUK.

Both teams were comprehensive winners over KSU and UNICAL respectively.

UNILAG's Women's team also did the school proud as they continued their beautiful run with a 3-1 win over the University of Jos, UNIJOS.

Like their male counterparts, the Angels are also through to the last four and will be looking to ensure they are guaranteed at least a medal by reaching the final.