…Says Sport Is Alive Again In Edo State
Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The chairman, Edo State Sports Commission Olympian Yusuf Alli congratulates the wife of Edo State Governor, Betsy Obaseki and Edo Queens Football Club for the successes recorded in the just concluded 2023 Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament just as he said that sport has come back to stay in the state again.
The Edo Sports Commission boss said that the annual Nigeria Women Premier Football League preseason tournament which came to an end on Wednesday evening at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin, was a huge success.
Alli who expressed his joy over Edo Queens victory said that he was also impressed with the performance of the girls throughout the tournament adding that the coaches and the entire team have shown how ready they are for the new football season.
” I congratulate our mother, Mrs Betsy Obaseki on the successful 2023 Betsy Obaseki Football tournament. I am particularly happy that sports is alive again in our state to the extent that the wife of our Governor is supporting her husband in the renaissance process.
“She is contributing immensely to football development in the country. The tournament is not only adding glamour to women football in the country but it is also an advocacy platform for girl child protection. I am happy it is happening in Edo state and Her Excellency is the initiator, which means, it is sustainable.
” Let me also congratulate our girls, Edo Queens for the sterling performance that earned them that hard-fought victory over highly experienced Bayelsa Queens. At least,we have good story to tell this year. Last year, we came close but surrendered the Gold cup to FC Robo of Lagos. I urge them to replicate the feat when the Nigeria Women Premier Football League resumes. They have really made us proud.” Alli said.
Recall that the Edo Queens Football Club of Benin on Wednesday evening emerged Champions of the 3rd Betsy Obaseki Preseason Women Football Tournament after edging Bayelsa Queens Football Club of Yenagoa 4-3 in a shootout. The final match had ended 1-1 at the regulation period of 90 minutes.
Truth Live Media Communications Ltd., owners of Truth Live News, which was one of the co-sponsors of the tournament, gave prizes to Bayelsa Queens goalkeeper Oniyan Okeke as the Best Goalkeeper, Olashade Damilusi of Robo FC as the Top Scorer, and Suliat Abideen as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
In the game proper, Bayelsa Queens took the lead in the 27 minute of play through Blessing Abiola, whose ferocious shot from about 20 yards caught Edo Queens defenders and keeper knapping.
Edo Queens however stepped up their game and later replied the visitors before halftime as their top striker Eunice Godwin after a neat exchange of passes with Moses Chioma, lumped the ball into the top far corner of Bayelsa Queens’ net to restore parity for the hosts in the 41st minute of play.
The game would have ended 2-1 in favour of Edo Queens without going through the shootouts as Bayelsa Queens defender handed a goal bound ball in her 18 yards box, within the extra four added minutes to the end of the match which resulted in the referee awarding them a penalty but there was a mild drama following Abideen Suliyat’s heartbreaking miss of the resultant penalty, hitting the bar to end it 1-1 before the shootouts.
During the shootouts, Edo Queens lost its first kick while scoring the other four to defeat Bayelsa Queens who lost their third and final kicks to surrender to the host 4-3.