Match Report: Matchday One Delivers 15 Goals in Four Stunning Fixtures

Nobody asked for a quiet opening day. And nobody got one.

The 2026 Bet9ja Foundation Ex-Internationals Cup burst onto the scene on matchday one with a goal rush that immediately told you everything about what kind of tournament this is going to be. Four matches. Fifteen goals. Chaos, drama, and the occasional scoreline that left pundits scrambling to explain themselves.

The biggest story of the day came courtesy of FC Giwa, who tore into FC Temile with a ferocity that nobody quite predicted. The final score — 5-2 — was emphatic, dominant, and set the tone for a day that refused to slow down. Shakiru Giwa’s community side looked sharp, organised, and in no mood for sentiment.

But if FC Giwa’s performance was the expected headline, FC Ipaye’s result was the genuine shock. FC Ekpo, one of the pre-tournament favourites, was beaten at home — 1-3 — by Wasiu Ipaye’s side. The left-footed wizard’s community team arrived in Ekpo territory and left with all three points in a result that immediately reshuffled the form book.

Elsewhere, FC Babington edged past FC Dosu with a 2-1 victory in a tighter affair — exactly the kind of tense, low-margin game those two former goalkeepers were always going to produce. And FC Omoruyi made their intentions clear with a 1-0 win over FC Oguntuase, a narrow but controlled performance that showed real tactical maturity.

Matchday One Results

• FC Giwa 5-2 FC Temile
• FC Ekpo 1-3 FC Ipaye
• FC Babington 2-1 FC Dosu
• FC Oguntuase 0-1 FC Omoruyi

Fifteen goals from four matches. The standard has been set. The rest of the competition now knows what is expected of them.