By Daily Sports on November 3, 2016

The biggest grassroots football competition in Nigeria is about to kick off in Ijebu Ode. The tournament sponsored by one of Nigeria’s most successful business entrepreneurs Frank Peters would kick off Saturday with Ijebu United FC, playing in front of what is expected to be a full capacity Ijebu Ode Stadium, against Edo State League champions Benin Warriors FC of Benin City.

All the necessary arrangements to make the under 19 tournament a success have been concluded with fixtures, accommodation arrangements and medals in place.

There are 64 teams competing for honors and prize money for winners has been set at N1.5 million.

With all the players and officials of the other 62 teams in attendance, as well as the expected presence of Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, his commissioners and thousands of Ijebu Ode football lovers, this stage may well be the biggest so far for the two teams to showcase what stuff they are made of.

Ijebu Utd are technically the home team in this opener and they would be expectedly buoyed by more fans in the stadium. They are said to have a number of physically strong players who play with a combination of gusto and guile. Playing in front of thousands of home supporters, they would be desperate not to let their people and Governor down.

For Benin Warriors it is already a fairy tale of a journey. Founded just last year, the team was not well-known until this year when they made their debut in the Edo State League in July. It was their first ever appearance at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in the ancient city of Benin and nothing much was expected of them given their low name recognition.

But the club, made up of very young and technical artistes stunned all by going all the way to lifting the league, beating more established sides to the title. They were instantly nicknamed 'Benin Leicester City' after the premiership side that shocked the football world to its foundation by winning the English premier league last season.

The battle against Ijebu Ode would represent an interesting challenge for the Warriors youngsters who would have to deal with what would likely be a more hostile crowd, given the fact that they are playing against a team based in the town hosting the competition.

Israel Ekewe, assistant coach of the Warriors said: “It’s a rollercoaster ride for us. The players who were playing in backstreets yesterday now have the privilege of showing their talent in big stadiums in front of a full house of fans. We have told them to enjoy the ride, and we trust that they have what it takes to go higher in the game.”

Meanwhile, organisers of the Frank Peters Cup have been feeling encouraged by the wide interests shown by many clubs all over the country to participate in the tournament.

Frank Ogette who is the head of the organising committee of the competition said the teams that expressed interests to participate far outnumbered the available spaces for competing academies set by the organisers.

He reveals that plans are afoot to have an all football academies  league in the country where youth clubs would have to compete with each other home and away.

“That’s a target for us, (organising an academy league). We believe this very tournament would serve as a precursor for the first academy league to be organised in Nigeria,” Ogette says.

The idea has actually been muted by many of the participating academies in the Frank Peters Cup and hopefully the league would afford the youth clubs the opportunity of having a richer and more exciting calendar to look forward to.

Kick off time for the game Ijebu Ode vs Benin Warriors match is 4pm on Saturday, November 5.

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 3, 2016

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