BY SAB OSUJI

Hopeland's tricky forward, Chinedu, was the stand-out performer and grabbed a brace but his goals proved just not enough to see the NLO side through as Edel FC ran 3-2 winners in the five-goal thrilling Neros Pharmaceuticals/Anambra FA Cup quarter final contest Tuesday at Rojenny Stadium, Oba, near Onitsha.

The rampant forward twice in the first period drew his side level after the NNL side, Edel FC, had gone infront, first by Anya Arinze and later later Kalio Tamuno via penalty kick.

Chinedu exhibited extraordinary confidence, incredible ball sense, skill, power, guile and pace that posed quite a handful to Edel FC backline to contend with.

After a 2-2 first half, Onyebuchi Nwaorisa fetched the eventual match winner for Edel after series of sporadic attacks and misses in the final third.

Nwaorisa's goal, thus, ensured the game fittingly came to a thrilling climax at 3-2, thus ensuring that Edel reached the 2024 Neros Pharmaceuticals Ltd/Anambra FA Cup semi finals after the pyrrhic win against NLO side, Hopeland FC.

Willy Udube, Head coach of Edel FC, was not surprised at Hopeland's quality and brilliance.

Udube, a defunct Jasper United and Heartland FC midfielder and now coach of Edel, had sidelined a couple of his first team players in view of this weekend's league game, acknowledged that no team should be looked down upon especiallyin Cup games.

"We know this would be a difficult game. You know in FA Cup games, you don't underrate any team", Udube said.

Solution FC will today clash with Black Smithers FA at the Neros Stadium, Nanka, in the second match of the quarter final fixtures.