AMAPRO 2026: Champions HOP FA dump out after six-goal thriller as final four lock in semi-final spots

AMAPRO 2026: Champions HOP FA dump out after six-goal thriller as final four lock in semi-final spots

AMAPRO 2026: Defending champions House of Prayer crash out as Gaa Akanbi, Discovery FA, Laycon FA, and Dickalo FA storm into semi-finals

The quarterfinal stage of the 2026 AMAPRO Football Championship delivered thrilling encounters, dramatic penalty shootouts, and a major upset as defending champions House of Prayers, HOP FA crashed out of the competition.

Dickalo FA booked their place in the last four with a convincing 2-0 victory over Dohz SA. After a tightly contested first half, Ibrahim Garuba broke the deadlock in the 56th minute before Abbas Yakub sealed the win deep into stoppage time to complete a dominant performance.

The biggest drama of the round came in the clash between Laycon FA and defending champions HOP FA. The six-goal thriller ended 3-3 after regulation time, with Taofeek Olatunde, an own goal by Ayodeji Eniola, and Wahab Sodiq finding the net for Laycon, while Moshood Salaudeen and a brace from Segun Alabi kept HOP FA in the contest. Laycon FA held their nerve in the penalty shootout, emerging 3-2 winners to eliminate the defending champions and secure a place in the last four.

Gaa Akanbi also needed penalties to reach the semi-finals after battling to a 1-1 draw with Blinz FC. Owolabi Aremu had given Blinz a first-half lead, but Ibrahim Abdulhafeez restored parity in the 75th minute with a composed finish from inside the area. Gaa Akanbi were flawless from the spot, converting all five penalties to claim a 5-4 shootout victory.

In the final clash of the day, last year’s runners-up, Discovery FA comfortably defeated AMAPRO Selected side 2-0 thanks to a brilliant brace from Zaharadeen Ibrahim. He opened the scoring in the eighth minute before converting a second-half penalty in the 58th minute to send Discovery FA into the semi-finals in style.

With the quarter-finals concluded, the race for the 2026 AMAPRO Football Championship title is now down to four teams: Dickalo FA, Laycon FA, Gaa Akanbi, and Discovery FA, all dreaming of lifting the coveted trophy for the first time after a dramatic weekend of football.

For the semifinal clashes slated for Saturday, Dickalo FC will be taking on Laycon FA by 9am at the Main Bowl of the Kwara State Stadium while Gaa Akanbi FA will slug it out with Discovery FA by 11am.

The final will be decided at the same venue on Sunday.