Kunle Adelabu
-Win 2021 Adeboruwa Cup
The final of the 2021 edition of the Adeboruwa Cup played on Wednesday (yesterday) between the defending champions, Stadium/Olayinka Road FC and Ayegbami FC lived up to its billing as great football artistry, pace, massive followership and great officiating were on full display.
At the end of the match which was played at the Igbogbo Stadium, Ayegbami FC defeated Stadium 4 – 2 via penalty to lift the trophy.
Stadium Road team had won the finals in 2018 and 2019 and also went on to win the Chairman’s cup in 2020/21. The club’s performances in this year’s tournament were superb and there were indications that they were gunning for the third consecutive win.
But Ayegbami FC, a determined team with dedicated, committed players and massive fan base, also showed class from the beginning of the tournament to the final where they pulled the plug on the dominance of their opponents and stopped them from defending their title and took revenge for the defeat they suffered in their hands in the final of last year’s edition of the tournament.
The champions were presented with N175, 000 cheque as the prize money with a giant gold cup, while the Stadium Road FC received N125, 000 and silver trophy for emerging the runners-up.
Third and fourth placed teams received N75, 000 and N25, 000 respectively.
The final match was attended by the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Olofin of Isheri, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sulaiman Adekunle Bamgbade, as well as dignitaries and a large crowd of soccer lovers who all trooped out enmasse to watch the epic encounter.
The pacy, thrilling, engaging, breathtaking and action – packed match, which was officiated by Mr Afinni, ended goalless at the end of the regulation time despite many goal attempts by both teams.
In the penalty shootouts, Ayegbami FC, which played in red jerseys converted 4 kicks while Stadium FC, which worn blue jerseys, converted only two.
In the individual awards announced by the organizers, Pius Agba, a player of the Stadium Road FC won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award of the tournament, sponsored by Barr. Adeleke, while Nbanusi of Awobo FC emerged the Highest Goal Scorer with 6 goals. The award was sponsored by Dr Adeleke Dankuwo.
The Fair Play award went to Adeyanlu FC, while Ayoola Isaa of Awobo FC was awarded the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.
The award of the Next Generation Star went to Ibrahim Omoraiya of the Ayegbami FC.
