By Daily Sports on December 20, 2018

Ine Stars have won the IB Champions Cup competition for top grassroots football clubs.

In a pulsating final match played at the Crescent Sports Complex in Benin City, Edo State, on Wednesday morning (December19, 2018) Ine Stars held their nerves to triumph over Eagles Wings FC on penalties after regulation time ended one goal apiece.

For Ine Stars, winning the tournament is a solid psychological boost as it gives the club bragging rights in the grassroots football environment.

The match featured the best of grassroots football and mirrored the quality of football witnessed at the tournament as a whole.

The two finalists played high tempo football, with technically very gifted players on parade.

It was a final that lived up to its billing, with the tension spreading from the players in the pitch onto the coaches, reserve players and fans of both clubs who both have the Crescent Sports Complex as their training ground.

Both sides had met earlier in the group stage of the competition and played out a scoreless draw.

Fighting to a stalemate in regulation time again in the final showed that there's really not much difference in the quality of both clubs.

Ine Stars is a club with a solid history of winning trophies in the Edo state football landscape. The club has won a number of Edo State League titles (a competition for amateur clubs) and in 2016 they stunned Nigerian football followers by winning the Edo State FA Cup, defeating Nigerian Professional Division One side Dynamite Force 3-0 in the final match played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.

The Ine vs Eagles Wings final was watched by thousands and some top football personalities, including the Technical Adviser of pro 1 side Bendel Insurance of Benin, Monday Origin, Ricky Aburime and top football intermediary Darlington Ogbeifun.

Ine Stars went home with the N150,000 prize money for winners while Eagles Wings got N75,000 for placing second.

The tournament was sponsored by sports philanthropist Idahosa Benjamin to spice up the festive period in Benin City and provide entertainment as well as opportunities for players to strut their stuff in the eyes of players’ managers.

•Photo shows Ine Stars Captain Sunday Anyanwu receiving the IB Champions trophy from tournament sponsor Idahosa Benjamin at the Crescent Sports Complex in Benin City.

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 20, 2018

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