By Nelson Dafe on May 14, 2019

Its called the money stage. With one million naira up for grabs, the four semi finalists left in the 5th edition of the Bet9ja Super Cup football competition for grassroots clubs in Edo state are smelling the cash as they get down to battle for a place in the final on Tuesday afternoon.

Fatal Dragons of Ekpoma, the conquerors of defending champions Rockers FC would be looking to claim the scalp of another former champions of the competition BJ Foundation of Benin city in the first of the semi final matches scheduled for the playing pitch of the S&T barracks in Isihor,Benin city.

BJ Foundation boast a formidable history of having developed great national team players including Isaac Success of Watford, Victor Moses of Chelsea, Mikel Agu of Vitoria Setubal etc, and this year they reached the semi final of the Edo FA cup in impressive fashion by stunning defending champions Dynamite Force 2-0 in the quarter finals.

But Fatal Dragons are no slouches. They play a brand of football that is an admirable mix of intelligent technical brains and brawn. They breezed past a very good Rockers side in a first half blitz,scoring three very well-worked goals after falling behind early in the first half. 

The Dragons, at the risk of trying to over hype them, are the mini Manchester City of Edo state football,playing a nice-passing and pleasing-in-the-eye kind of football. 

However,they must be aware and wary of a certain Precious Ediae, the man-mountain attacker of BJ Foundation who is currently the leading scorer of BJ. 

Ediae (nicknamed Zlatan based on his resemblance in physique and playing style with the great Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic) has taken Edo grassroots football by storm this year after being in the slipstream of two former strikers of the club Uche Epete (now of Ferovario Maputo,Mozambique) and Junior Osaghae (now of Bendel Insurance,Benin City).

The fair-skinned lad is arguably the best attacker in Benin City today,scoring goals at ease with his head and legs. He is that attacker who rolls up his sleeves,always ready for any physical battle and he has battered not a few defenders this year,frightening them into submission.

The BJ vs Fatal Dragos game which is expected to be a claash of styles between direct football and tip-tap play comes up 2pm.

In the second semi final match scheduled for 4pm, host team Rolly FC who have won their last two knockout games through the lottery of penalty shootouts will hope to make it a less nervous win when they face Mission Side. Both teams had earlier battled to a score draw in their earlier group game but there must be a winner on Tuesday afternoon.

Rolly FC are a side full of physically imposing players who use their size to good effect. Mission Side though, are a dogged outfit who are making a name for themselves with good performances in recent competitions in Edo state.

•Photo shows BJ Foundation in-form striker Precious Ediae (first from left) with his team mates. First from right is technically gifted offensive midfielder and captain Solomon Osaghae who supplies many of the passes with which 'Zlatan' punishes opponents.

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 14, 2019

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