By Samuel Bamisebi

 

From 32 teams, now down to two. It’s the battle of the highest scoring side in the knockout stages against the lowest scoring side in the knockout stages as UNIMAID Desert Warriors take on AAUA Luminaries

University of Maiduguri lost the 2nd leg of their semi final tie 3-2 to FUTMINNA Transformers with the games finishing 3-3 on aggregate and the warriors winning on away goal rule to set up a tie with Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba who played out a 1-1 draw in Nsukka against the UNN Lions and a barren draw in Akungba.

AAUA Luminaries becomes the first state owned university to make it to the final of the HIFL since inception even as this season’s final will see a new and different champion being crowned.

On the road to the final, AAUA Luminaries knocked out top 4 team OAU Giants, Unilag Marines and then UNN Lions while UNIMAID Desert Warriors saw off challenges from BUK Stallions of Bayero University, former champions UAM Tillers of University of Agriculture and FUTMINNA Transformers of Federal University of Technology, Minna.

The final showdown takes place on Saturday, 9th October 2021 at the Yabatech Sports Complex, Lagos.

UAM Tillers from the University of Agriculture Makurdi and UNICAL Malabites from the University of Calabar won the 2018 and 2019 editions of the league respectively.