By Daily Sports Nigeria on December 20, 2022

• Bayelsa to host 2023 edition
Donastars FC of Abia State came from 0-2 goals down with barely few minutes to stoppage time to get an equaliser and go on to clinch the second edition of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) U-17 Peace Football Championship on Sunday.

Playing in an all-Abia State final against El-Godz FC at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State, Donastars FC shocked the spectators with their football display to emerge champions.

In the third place match played earlier, Campus FC of Imo State defeated Ine Stars of Edo State 1-0, thereby, following the footsteps of another Imo team, Sam Decent Academy, which finished in third position at the first edition held in Akwa Ibom State last year.

Donastars FC of Abia were rewarded with N5 million for emerging as champions, El-Godz FC got N3 million for finishing second, while Campus FC went home with N2 million as the third best team.

The Most Valuable Player of the tournament went to the captain of Campus FC of Imo, Chukwuemeka Prince, who, incidentally, was the youngest captain at the competition. Jida Justice of Ine Stars, Edo State, won the highest goal scorer award, after ending the tourney as joint top scorer with seven goals, but was awarded for scoring first, ahead of Odoemena Pope of El-Godz FC of Abia, who was also presented with a medal for his performance.

Goalkeeper Solomon Agoziem of Campus FC of Imo won the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament, with Kifa FC of Ondo emerging as the Best Behaved Team, while the youngest player of the tournament award went to Cyril Eta of Safe Side FC of Cross River, who is just 11 years old.

Presenting the trophy to the winners, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana O. Umana, commended Grassroots Sports Federation of Nigeria (GRASOF) for initiating the tourney and the Delta State government for providing an enabling environment for the success of the competition.

The minister, who was represented by Mr. Matthew Pukuma James, said: “The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is indeed privileged to be part of this tournament, which provided an opportunity for young lads to display their talents to the world.

“The football tournament will not only help players develop on their individual skills, but would entrench the importance of teamwork and the spirit of sportsmanship. These traits, incidentally, are in line with the theme of the tournament which is Peace,” he stated.

Ex-internationals, Christian Obodo, Sam Sodje and Baldwin Bazuaye, were at the grand finale, where they presented medals and trophies to the winning teams, as well as the individual players that won honours in different categories.

Tournament coordinator and president of GRASOF, John Ekpenyong, announced Bayelsa State as the next host of the football competition, which comes up tentatively in December 2023.

Source The Guardian Nigeria

Posted December 20, 2022

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