LASU beat YABATECH 4-2 on penalties to reach the final

Lagos State University LASU booked their place in the final of the UNITECOL Cup 2026 after defeating Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) 4-2 on penalties following a tense goalless draw in regulation time.

The semi-final clash produced high drama, missed opportunities and resilient defense as both teams battled fiercely for a place in Monday’s final.

LASU started cautiously but had an anxious moment in the 23rd minute when Jeremiah attempted a shot that narrowly missed.

The game remained a “ding-dong affair” with both sides struggling to find the breakthrough.

Three minutes later, YABATECH threatened the LASU defense with a dangerous attacking play, but the defenders stayed alert to clear the danger and preserve the stalemate.

In the 30th minute, Emmanuel came close to opening the scoring with a direct free kick that narrowly missed and the first half ended 0-0.

After the restart, LASU thought they had finally broken the tie in the 49th minute, but the celebrations were cut short after the referee disallowed the goal for a foul on the YABATECH goalkeeper.

YABATECH responded immediately with a quick counterattack in the 50th minute, but Isiaka made a vital intervention to stop the play.

Three minutes later, YABATECH launched another dangerous attack from the left flank, finding Sherif inside the box, but goalkeeper Isiaka Senyon made a stunning save to keep the score level.

Looking for a breakthrough, Coach Rahman introduced two quick substitutions in the 56th minute, hoping to inject new energy into LASU’s attack.

The turning point came in the 62nd minute, when Chukwuwendu Miracle received a straight red card after knocking down a LASU player.

The expulsion forced YABATECH to play the rest of the match with 10 men.

LASU continued to advance and made another tactical substitution in the 64th minute, but the YABATECH defense held firm as regulation time ended goalless.

The match eventually went to penalties, where LASU kept its cool to secure a 4-2 victory on penalties and advance to the UNITECOL Cup final.

LASU will now face the winner of the other semi-final between the University of Lagos and the Lagos State University of Education on Monday, May 25.