By Jacob Ajom
Heartland FC of Owerri captain, Chinedu Efugh has paid glowing tributes to his colleagues and most especially, his coach, Ndubuisi Nduka over their successful defence of the Football Federation Cup last Sunday.

The Owerri team had to dig deep to overcome the highly motivated and determined Lobi Stars of Makurdi 2-1 in an epic final. Efugh and his colleagues had gone down to an Ezekiel Bassey strike in the 5^th minute. Jolly Osas equalised in the 30^th while Brendan Ogbu got the winner in stoppage time to deny the Makurdi side any chance of a come-back.

Efugh was ecstatic after the encounter. “We worked hard and thankfully, God rewarded us with this beautiful trophy,” he said, while caressing the new Federation Cup trophy donated by the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Thus Heartland became the first team to win the new Federation Cup trophy. Little wonder therefore when Efugh said on radio, Monday morning, “I slept like a giant.”