For a third time in a row, Bayelsa Queens are through to the last four of the AITEO Cup. This was after seeing off Nasarawa Amazons 4-2 on penalties in Lafia on Saturday.

Bayelsa Queens held a slim 1-0 advantage from the first leg which was played on Wednesday but Amarachi Okoronkwo restored parity for Nasarawa Amazons in the 55th minute of the return leg.

With the match ending 1-1 on aggregate, penalty shootout was needed to separate both sides and Bayelsa Queens, who were runners-up in 2015 and 2016, happened to be the survivors.

The last time Bayelsa Queens failed to reach the last four was in 2014 when they were beaten 2-1 by Rivers Angels in the quarter-finals.

In Lokoja, coach Ann Chiejine’s Abia Angels came from two goals down to shock Confluence Queens 2-2 in a dramatic encounter.

Courtesy of goals from Ozuluchi Amaewhule and Ifeoma Polinus, Confluence Queens already looked like they were cruising to the semi-finals of the AITEO Cup but their visitors changed the game in the last ten minutes.

Following their 1-0 victory in Umuahia on Wednesday, Abia Angels have advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, there was a less dramatic draw in Calabar as Pelican Stars and Ibom Angels could not find the back of the net.

Nonetheless Ibom Angels had little to worry about as they had already done their homework on Wednesday by beating their opponents 1-0 in the first leg.

Either Rivers Angels or Edo Queens would complete the semi-finals line-up on Sunday when they face off at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.

The first leg ended goalless with Edo Queens receiving lots of praise for being able to mute the ‘almighty’ Rivers Angels who are also the defending champions.

AITEO Cup semi-finals fixtures
Bayelsa Queens vs Rivers Angels/Edo Queens
Ibom Angels vs Abia Angels