Akwa United FC defeated First Bank FC 2-0 on Sunday, March 1, 2026, to extend their lead at the top of the NNL Conference B table.

Akwa United had earlier beaten First Bank 3-1 away in Lagos in the reverse fixture, completing the double with this latest victory.

The home side started strongly at the Uyo Township Stadium. In the fifth minute, Emmanuel Charles controlled the ball well inside the box but his weak shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Nsikak Raphael also tried his luck from outside the area in the 10th minute, but his effort was blocked by a defender.

Paulinus Okon led several attacks in the first half, combining well with Daniel Gothom and Aniebiet Sunday, but could not find the final touch. Emmanuel Charles came close in first-half stoppage time, but his shot went just wide. The first half ended goalless.

Akwa United returned after the break with more purpose. Aniebiet Sunday and Emmanuel Charles both missed good chances before the breakthrough finally arrived in the 63rd minute. Yannick Menegbe delivered a fine cross into the box and Paulinus Okon rose highest to head the ball into the net.

Okon doubled the lead in the 75th minute to complete his brace and take his tally to four goals this season. He almost scored a third goal but his long-range effort missed the target.

The win was Akwa United’s eighth of the season and moved them four points clear at the top of the NNL Conference B table after 12 matches. They now have six matches left to play and will travel to face Osun United on matchday 13.

Speaking after the match, Coach Paul Offor expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance. He said:

“I am happy with the progress we are making. Today’s win was not a late winner or a narrow one-goal victory, which shows we are improving. We are also developing ways to break down opponents who sit back and defend. In the second half, we were able to open them up, create more space, and get our goals.”

He added: “From this point forward, every game we play is a final for us. We will approach each match with this mentality. If we want to secure promotion, we must ensure that after every matchday we remain on top of the league table.”

On Paulinus Okon, the two-goal hero of the match, Offor said:

“Paulinus is a brilliant player. Even with his skill on the ball, he still has the energy to cover the ground and help the team. We are very happy with his performance this season. Every time he is on the field, we know something special can happen, which is why we try to keep him playing as long as possible. His First Class degree shows he is hardworking, and that dedication shows in his game.”

Offor also confirmed the absence of striker Michael Okenwa, explaining:

“Michael was released to attend his mother’s funeral. He will return to the squad on Monday.”

He praised the fans for their support, saying:

“We love our supporters. We always give our best to perform well for them, and we encourage them to keep coming out to push us so we can achieve our target together.”

Paulinus Okon was named Man of the Match and received his award at full time from Ibom Air officials at the stadium.

Benjamin Sesko has seven goals in his last eight games for Man Utd and Michael Carrick has been impressed with his attitude on and off the pitch.

Michael Carrick is excited about seeing Benjamin Sesko’s “huge potential” flourish at Manchester United after the £73.7million striker kept up his remarkable run in front of goal.

Sesko was handed a first start under Carrick but found the back of the net again in the win against Crystal Palace, taking his tally to four goals in 168 minutes since Carrick’s appointment as head coach in January.

The 22-year-old striker began his rich vein of form during Darren Fletcher’s interim spell in charge, scoring three times in two games under the Scot, and although he has found it harder to break into the team under Carrick, his record in front of goal has been exceptional in 2026.

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His goal against Palace proved to be the winner and his four goals for Carrick have earned United seven points already. Carrick has praised the work Sesko is putting in in training and said the Slovenian had a clear idea of how he wanted to improve at Old Trafford.

“[We’ve been] working closely with him and connecting with him, building that relationship and that trust,” said Carrick. “I think that’s important when you’re trying to help players individually and certainly as a team.

“Lots on Ben, he’s put the work in and he’s stayed positive, he knows how he wants to improve, he is pretty clear on that but he’s a good player. That’s why he’s here, he has some great strengths.

“It’s clear to see he’s scoring different types of goals, but he’s such a threat. I’m really excited about where he can get to without getting too carried away. I think he’s got huge potential, he’s so young, still early days for him, but he is doing fantastic at the moment.”

Sesko came in to the side for Amad against Crystal Palace, with Amad then impressing off the bench, and Carrick suggested his fluid front three could yet change when United head to St James’ Park to play Newcastle on Wednesday.

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“Delighted for Ben. I’ve sat here and said to you for the last few weeks, it’s not really been a headache, it’s not been a big deal, it has not been a big drama. I think he’s had a huge impact,” he said.

“Ben is making big improvements and a little bit is getting used to what it’s like to be here and the feelings and what it means to play and things that we can take for granted at times. He’s desperate to do well.

“He works so hard, he thinks about it an awful lot. He’s an absolute pleasure to work with. It was a fantastic goal, fantastic goal. So he’s bringing an awful lot.

“We’ve got good flexibility across the top line and the front players can play different roles within the game, so there’s a lot of flexibility there and Amad took some time off today and it might change again for Wednesday but it’s nice to have those options really.”

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India have officially qualified for the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals after a fantastic win against West Indies in Kolkata. The Men in Blue beat the two-time world champions by five wickets to book their place in the next round of the mega event.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to field first in the high-pressure contest against West Indies at the Eden Gardens. The Indian bowlers did a decent job as West Indies set a 196-run target for the home side.

In response, Sanju Samson‘s epic 97-run knock inspired the Men in Blue to a five-wicket victory. Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube supported Samson well as India sealed their place in the semifinals. On that note, here’s a look at the scorecard, Player of the Match winner and top stats from this game.

India vs West Indies T20 World Cup 2026 scorecard

None of the West Indies batters managed to convert their starts into big scores. Roston Chase emerged as the top-scorer with a 40-run knock at the top of the order. Thirties from Rovman Powell, Jason Holder and Shai Hope guided the Men in Maroon to 195/4 in 20 overs.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of 2/36 in four overs. Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy chipped in with a wicket each.

Sanju Samson stole the show with an incredible 50-ball 97* at the Eden Gardens. Samson notched up his maiden T20 World Cup half-ton to knock the West Indies team out of the tournament.

Tilak Varma scored a quickfire 15-ball 27, and Shivam Dube’s two fours in the final moments eased the pressure for the Indian team. Shamar Joseph and Jason Holder took two wickets each, but their efforts ended in a losing cause.

India vs West Indies T20 World Cup 2026 Player of the Match

Sanju Samson won the Man of the Match award for his unbeaten 97-run knock against West Indies. The Indian opener whacked 12 fours and four sixes and maintained a strike rate of 194 to help India win the match.

Samson did not feature in India’s playing XI when they played against South Africa last week, but the team recalled him after the top order’s failure and he justified the team management’s decision with an epic knock in the middle.

India vs West Indies T20 World Cup 2026 stats and records

India avenged their 2016 T20 World Cup semifinal defeat against the West Indies by knocking them out of the ongoing mega event. Here are some of the top stats emerging from this entertaining T20 World Cup 2026 contest:

1. India became the first team to qualify for the semifinals of ICC events for 20 times.
2. Sanju Samson broke Virat Kohli’s record for the highest individual score (82) by an Indian while chasing in a T20 World Cup match.
3. Samson also broke Tim Seifert’s record for the highest individual score (89*) by a wicketkeeper batter in a T20 World Cup run-chase.
4. India pulled off their highest successful run-chase in T20 World Cup history.