By Victor Enyinnaya on April 28, 2025

It was all entertainment game yesterday as the curtain for the finals of the sixth edition of the U-13 JOF Kids Cup football summit was drwan at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Sports Centre, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

The tournament finals which set the tone amid pomp and ceremony on yesterday saw Varsity Football Academy from Lagos Island cart home the coveted trophy of the  football fiesta.

It would be recalled that the final ceremony, was attended by dignitaries from the government and the private sector lived up to its billings as a classic Kids football championship. 

The glamour, the football artistic displayed by both sides coupled with humourous side attractions, was another moment and plus from both the sponsors and the organisers alike.

Little wonder therefore the kids from both divide fought keenly, gamely but Varsity Football Academy who fought their ways to the final amid tough opponents proved that their wins through the preliminary to the final was never a fluke as god of football, however, smiled on them with an early penalty kick, few seconds into the match, that produced the decisivelone goal of the hard-fought and won victory of the day over equally strong side B. Unit from Mainland whose close shave efforts at goal never yielded success till the referee's last blast of his whitsle that signalled the end of the 2025 JOFKIDS CUP evening of entertainment football summit.

The winning team were spoilt by the sponsor, JOF Nigeria Limited with the star prize of N750,000 with other assorted gifts. second-place winners, B. Unit boys were rewarded with the sum of N500,000. Strong Dove from Orile who beat First Class Boys from Lagos 3-1 in the third place match were given the sum of N350,000, while the fourth position got the sum of N250,000.

Three understanding players were also rewarded with N25,000 each. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) Abdullahi Akinremi  from Varsity Boys FC, Highest Goals Scorer, Marvelous Gavor of B.Unit who scored eight goals and the Best Goalkeeper, Varsity Boys' Alex Peter.

Dignitaries, among whom were Dr. Olusegun Olugboyegun, the Chairman/CEO of JOF Nigeria Limited, his wife, and others who included some notable Nigerian ex-internationals, watched the final with enthusiasm and praised the soccer artistry displayed by the two finalists with the submission that JOF Nigeria Limited's efforts to identify with the youths and discovered football talent from the grassroots is paying off.

In his post-match remarks, Dr. Olugboyegun, while commending the new Champions and other participating teams f, praised the organizers, the Lagos State Grassroots Football Association and the Organising Committee for putting in place a commendable 6th U-13 JOF Kids Cup Tournament.

He noted that the frenzy that the competition has generated since its first edition, is a testimony of his strong believe in the youngsters of this country, adding what the youths need to excel is the support and enabling environment.

He disclosed that the sponsor won't rule out extending the scope of the tournament beyond Lagos State, most especially to the states in the southwest Nigeria.

"For the past six editions, we have seen how far we have been able to impact our youngsters in Lagos State. This is commendable and this gives up the motivation to take the tournament to the next level by giving teams from the southwest region the chance to feature in the JOF Kids Cup," he said.

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted April 28, 2025

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