The University for Development Studies (UDS) have reached the semi-finals of the 2026 West Africa University Games (WAUG) in Nigeria, setting up a mouthwatering clash with tournament hosts Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) on Thursday.
The defending champions advanced to the last four despite suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Lead City University in their second Group A game.
UDS had earlier made a strong start to their title defence, beating Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) 4-2 in their opening fixture.
Ezideen Alhassan was once again the star of the show, scoring twice, while Abdul Baaki and Richard Berko also found the net to hand the Ghanaian side all three points.
The reigning African and World University football champions, however, were unable to maintain their winning start against Lead City, who secured victory with a late 88th-minute goal.
The defeat served as a reminder of the competitive nature of the tournament, with UDS now facing another stern test against the hosts in the semi-final.
OAU booked their place in the last four after recording a convincing 3-0 victory over fellow Ghanaian side, the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).
With home support behind them, OAU will be looking to build on that result when they face the defending champions.
For UDS, the semi-final provides an opportunity to immediately respond to their setback against Lead City and move one step closer to retaining their title.
UDS captain Mohammed Asigri has described the defeat as a setback and a wake-up call for the team, with the players determined to avoid a repeat of the lapses that cost them against Lead City.
Head coach Kojo Whyte is also confident in his side’s ability to bounce back, saying the technical team has identified the problems from the previous game and will work on them ahead of the crucial encounter.
The match is scheduled for 7:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, October 8, 2026, with a place in the WAUG football final at stake.
The encounter will also carry added significance for UDS, who are seeking to strengthen their status as one of the leading forces in university football after winning African and World University football titles.
Meanwhile, UDS’ participation in WAUG 2026 will continue beyond football, with the athletics competition set to begin later on Thursday.
The University’s track and field athletes will join the competition as UDS continue their pursuit of honours across the various sporting disciplines at the Games.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
