By Daily Sports on June 20, 2019

High tempo football, goals galore, brilliant individual displays: all these are what you would expect to see in a grassroots football tournament in Nigeria. All these have been on show in the ongoing maiden edition of the Mikel Agu football competition in Benin City.

The five-day invitational competition for youth clubs in Edo State is sponsored by Super Eagles and Porto star Mikel Agu.

Eagles Wings FC of Benin are the only club to have garnered 6 points so far in the 2-group tournament. The club got off to a flying start by pummeling Benin Warriors 4-0 in the opening match of the tournament at their Ahuoba base with three of the goals coming in a first half blitz.

The pick of the goals was scored by utility player Izu who powered a beauty of a shot from outside the box to outwit John in goal for the Warriors.

Eagles Wings play a brand of high tempo rhythmic passing game and when in full flight, they are a delight to watch.

Benin Warriors made a decision to parade a number of very young players in the competition and the inexperience of the lads showed. But on the strength of what they put up, they are clearly a work in progress whose benefit lies in the future.

The Warriors again fell by the same scoreline to BJ Foundation in their second game to be effectively knocked out of the competition in Group A.

BJ, from where the competition sponsor graduated to FC Porto some years ago, played out a thrilling 2-2 draw with Rolly FC in their first game on Tuesday evening.

BJ twice took the lead but twice they were pegged back by a Rolly side that played with remarkable determination and quality that surprised many.

Rolly lost some key players to injury in their second match against Eagles Wings and were unlucky to have lost by a lone goal.

In Group B, Ine Stars were unforgiving in their ruthlessness as they pummeled Light FC 6-1 in their second game of the competition at their Ahuogba base. Ine had earlier played a very exciting 0-0 draw with Rockers FC in their opening game of the tournament.

Ine play an expansive attacking game and while they were unlucky on several occasions, missing close chances against Rockers FC, they saw the goals pouring in against a hapless Light FC who wilted in the Wednesday morning sun in the face of ceaseless attacking onslaught from their more accomplished adversaries.

Rockers FC, a club with a slew of young and exceptional young players, came from a goal down to beat Eagles United in another thrilling game on Wednesday afternoon.

Eagles United are noted for a physical and solid defensive game but Rockers are a club with energetic youthful players who keep going all game and scored two second half goals to complete a remarkable comeback at the Arinze Primary School field.

In terms of organisation and keeping youth players busy, the competition has been a huge success. There has been no ugly incident as all the players and their coaches have been generally well-behaved, seeing this as a developmental tournament geared towards improving the players in their stead.

All semi-finalists are guaranteed monetary rewards from the sponsor if the tournament while the winners will go home with a handsome prize money.

The competition, conceived chiefly by the owners of BJ Foundation Douglas Idahosa and Rockers FC’s Chinedu Uba, has attracted so much interest and clubsides who are not participating in this edition have indicated strong interest in being part of subsequent editions.

Mr Idahosa has promised to make the tournament a much bigger affair next year to accommodate other interested teams.

In a state where football competitions have been scarce over the last few years, the Mikel Agu Cup hopefully will be a much useful avenue for years to come for youth clubs to further their quests of developing future stars who would progress to a successful professional career.

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 20, 2019

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