By Daily Sports on January 17, 2019

January, and it’s that time of the year when young football players dust their shin guards, clean their boots and hit the road on endurance runs as they look to shake off the lethargy of the December break after having indulged in the festivities of the Yuletide season.  

It is the time when grassroots clubs all over Nigeria once again set their sights on success in the areas of developing their players for the big pay-day of getting professional deals and also winning competitions for prestige values – as well as for the financial gains in order to help keep their clubs afloat.  

In Delta State State, Excellent Football Academy are putting together a pre-season invitational football competition in their hometown of Ughelli in the southern part of the state. 

Top scouts and officials of several professional clubs in Nigeria, as well as football agents and scouts, are expected to be at the Ughelli Township Stadium, venue of the tournament, to keep a keen eye on the young talents on display. 

The tournament is titled Ughelli Preseason Cup and will feature accomplished clubs from within and outside Delta State. They include Sunsel FC of Oghara, Delta State, who won last year’s edition of the Ughelli Preseason Cup. 

Ughelli United (winners of a previous edition of Airtel Cup), Solo Wonders FC of Abia State, 2016 Edo State League champions Benin Warriors and 2016 Edo FA Cup champions Ine Stars of Benin are some of the other clubs invited for the showpiece that will last from the 28th to the 31s of January. 

Other participating clubs are Royal Eagles FC of Oleh, Delta State, and Flying Rangers FC of Ughelli. 

For some players of the clubs outside Ughelli, it would be an opportunity to strut their stuff and as well get the education that traveling to a different town offers. 

The chief brain behind the competition is Coach Johnbull Onome, the manager of Excellent FC. Onome is a well-respected coach with a fine history of grooming young talented players, many of whom have gone on to become professional footballers both within and outside Nigeria.

His love to see the growth of grassroots football in Nigeria informed his decision to organise this invitational competition.  

Below are the complete fixtures for the tournament, match schedules and other details. 

UGHELLI PRESEASON CUP 2019

Group A

Excellent FA

Sunsel FC Oghara

Ughelli United

Benin Warriors Edo State

Group B

Solo wonder Abia State

Flying Rangers Ughelli

Royal Eagles Oleh

Ine Stars FC Edo State

GROUP A FIXTURES

28th January, Monday

2pm: Ughelli United vs Excellent

4pm: Sunsel vs Benin Warriors

29th January, Tuesday

2pm: Benin Warriors vs Ughelli United

4pm: Excellent Vs Sunsel

30th January, Wednesday

2pm: Excellent vs Benin Warriors

4pm: Ughelli United vs Sunsel

GROUP B FIXTURES

28th, January, Monday

10am: Solo Wonder Vs Flying Rangers

12pm: Royal Eagles Vs Ine Stars

29th January, Tuesday

10am: Ine stars vs Solo wonders 

12pm: Flying Rangers vs Royal Eagles

30th January, Wednesday 

10am: Flying Rangers Vs Ine Stars

12pm: Royal Eagles Vs Solo Wonders

31st January, Thursday, 7am: 1st Semi Final; 9am: 2nd Semi final; 4pm: Final

Registration is free. Winners will get a giant trophy, a cash prize of N50,000 and medals while the second placed team will get N30,000 and medals. 

•Photo shows line up of Ughelli Preseason Cup host team Excellent FC with Coach Johnbull Onome standing fifth from left.  

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 17, 2019

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