Kunle Adelabu
-Stadium Road FC win Adeboruwa Cup for second consecutive time
The Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Mr Oluwatoyin Gafaar, has stated that the commission would continue to support sports development at the grassroots.
He reiterated that the sports commission would do everything possible to sustain the state government’s drive in developing sporting sector to meaningfully engaged the youths.
Gafar made this statement while speaking with THE IMPACT at the final match of the Adeboruwa Cup organized to mark the 2019 Igbogbo Day.
The match was played at the Igbogbo Township Stadium before impressive spectators on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.
Stadium Road Football Club proved that they are the best team in Igbogbo community as they emerged the winner of the annual tournament for the second year running by defeating their opponents, Ayegbami FC , 5 goals to 4 on penalty shootouts.
The match had ended 1 – 1 after the regulation time and proceeded straight to penalty shootouts where the defending champions converted 4 of their spot-kicks while their opponents scored 3.
Mr Gafaar, while speaking at the event, stated that sporting activities have brought peace to Ikorodu division as youths in the division regularly engage in sporting competitions.
“This tournament is a good development and I wish we could be having this twice a year. Tournament like this has made Ikorodu Division peaceful and in particular, Igbogbo. It’s a way of productively engaging our youths”, Mr Gafaar stated.
“We have been supporting and we shall keep supporting sports in the grassroots like we did with Oba Kabiru Shotobi Marathon race where the state government contributed its own quota to its success” , he added.
He commended Oba Kasali in whose name the soccer tournament is being annually organized while also commending the organizing committee for a successful outing.
Gafaar also hinted that organisers of the Bolowotan Gold Cup are working on staging the 2019 edition of the annual tournament in Ikorodu.
Meanwhile, the final match kicked off by 4.28pm while the first goal was scored in the second minute when Stadium Road FC player, Legbe Michael Tamareni (jersey no 8), broke through down the left flank of the field after connecting a pass and beat Ayegbami FC defenders before firing a shot past the helpless goalkeeper as the Stadium Road team’s supporters invaded the pitch in ecstasy to celebrate the goal.
Another clear scoring opportunity came the way of the defending champions to increase the tally in the 12th minute but it was squandered.
The first half of the very entertaining and balanced match ended I-0 as efforts of both teams to score proved unsuccessful.
In the 14th minute of the second half, the Stadium Road FC was reduced to 10 men when the no-nonsense centre referee, Yemisi Akintoye, gave the player in number 15 jersey the matching order for his unruly behavior.
The captain of the Ayegbemi FC Mayokun (no 10) later took advantage of their opponents’ numerical disadvantage to bring the score line to 1-1 as he cleverly broke free and sent a sublime pass through to their striker, Meme Olokodana (no 7 jersey) who had positioned himself in-between the Stadium Road FC defenders and wasted no time in connecting the pass before cleverly putting the ball to the top corner of the left side of the goal post to beat the goalkeeper.
The wild jubilation that followed the equalizing goal briefly halted the match as Ayegbami FC fans also invaded the pitch to celebrate with their team.
Despite the several scoring chances that came the way of the Stadium Road FC, they failed to convert any of them as the match ended 1-1 at the end of the regulation time while the match proceeded straight to penalty shootouts.
Stadium Road FC eventually emerged the winners as their goalkeeper saved two of their opponents’ spot kicks, sustaining injury in the process, as the penalty shootouts ended 4-3.
In the players’ and teams’ awards presented at the end of the final match, Legbe Michael Tamareni (Stadium Road FC) won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, Tosin Aleshinloye (Ayegbami FC) emerged as the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament, Aremu Ismal (Stadium Road) emerged as the Highest goal scorer with 12 goals while Aina Olowu FC won the Fair play award of the tournament.
While the tournament’s MVP received N15, 000 as prize money, others got N10, 000 each courtesy of Otunba Debo Ogunnade, the Chief Executive Director of Destiny FC.
Also, the Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Toyin Gafaar, was presented with Merit/Achievement award by the organisers of the soccer tournament for his contribution towards sports development in Igbogbo, Ikorodu Division and Lagos State as a whole.
Others that were presented with Merit Awards in recognition of their supports for youth and sports development were Mrs Emily Nwokeduko, DSP Rotimi Ogunmuyiwa, Ikorodu SARS Commander, Engr Lateef Benson of the VIO Inspection Unit, Mr Ahmed Olalekan Ogunbanjo and Alh Ademola Talabi.
Prince Hakeed Olukunga, Member, Governing Council, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), speaking with THE IMPACT, also commended Igbogbo community for sustaining the football tournament and for continually developing and engaging the youths in the community.
Meanwhile, cross section of players, officials and spectators that spoke with THE IMPACT appealed to the State Government to see to the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Igbogbo Township Stadium, stating that the present condition of the stadium does not encourage sporting development.
