Some stories are written in ninety minutes. Others need extra time, a nerve-shredding penalty shootout, and a goalkeeper who refuses to let his team down. The Ikorodu Divisional Football League final was the latter. By the time the dust settled, Arise and Shine FA had done something the club had never done before: become champions.
A Final Worthy of the Occasion
The showpiece pitted Arise and Shine against a determined Rebirth Sport FA, and from the opening whistle, it was clear this wouldn’t be a stroll for anyone. Rebirth struck first, taking the lead and putting Arise and Shine under early pressure. For long spells, it looked like Rebirth’s name might be the one etched onto the trophy.
But Arise and Shine had other ideas.
The Penalty That Wouldn’t Die
The turning point came in the second half, and it arrived dramatically. Arise and Shine were awarded a penalty, and up stepped Adeleke Basit to take it. His first effort was saved by the Rebirth goalkeeper, the kind of moment that can deflate a team completely. Instead, Basit showed the composure and hunger of a true competitor, following up his own saved spot-kick to smash home the rebound and level the score at 1-1.
It was the goal that kept Arise and Shine’s dream alive.
Into the Shootout
Neither side could find a winner in normal time, and the final went the way so many big matches do: straight to penalties. It’s a format that separates the good from the great, where composure under pressure matters as much as skill.
This time, the hero wasn’t a striker. It was the man between the sticks.
Lawal Abisoye produced a goalkeeping masterclass, diving the right way not once but twice, saving two Rebirth penalties to send Arise and Shine over the line. Every save was a heartbeat away from heartbreak for the opposition and pure ecstasy for Arise and Shine’s players, staff, and supporters.
A First Title, A New Chapter
When the final penalty was saved, the celebrations that followed were the kind reserved for history-makers. This was Arise and Shine FA’s first-ever league title, and they earned it the hard way — coming from behind, riding a moment of individual brilliance from Adeleke Basit, and leaning on the nerves of steel of Lawal Abisoye when it mattered most.
Rebirth Sport FA can hold their heads high after a final that will be remembered for years in Ikorodu football circles. But this season belongs to Arise and Shine, a club that refused to blink when the pressure was at its highest and walked away as champions for the very first time.
Final Score: Arise and Shine FA 1-1 Rebirth Sport FA (Arise and Shine win on penalties)
Man of the Moment: Lawal Abisoye — two crucial penalty saves
Turning Point: Adeleke Basit’s rebound goal after his initial penalty was saved
