…As Daniel Ayenugba emerges tournament goalkeeper
By Mike Oboh, Kano
Kwara state under 16 team on Friday emerged winners of this year’s Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) organised Ramat Cup tournament held in Kano.
Kwara State defeated Oyo State 2-1 to retain the trophy at stake.
The winners opened scores in the early minute of the game and made it two before the end of the first stanza of the encounter.
Oyo however pulled one back in the late minutes of the game in a match watched by top government officials and military officers .
Speaking after the match, Kwara state Technical Director, coach Sam Elijah said he was happy with the outcome of the game as they were able to retain the trophy they won last year.
Elijah said the tournament has shown that the backbone of football development in Nigeria remains in the grassroot, as most of the players who participated in the tourney exhibited high sense of play which if encouraged will continue to place the country in the forefront of international reckoning.
The Technical Director added the only sour taste in the competition was the absence of officials of the Nigeria Football Federation.
He said the team will now work towards representing the country well in Sweden later in the year just as he was optimistic that most of the players in the team may be considered by foreign teams during the Sweden tournament.
In the third place match, Bauchi defeated Ogun 3-0 after a goalless game in the ensured penalty kicks.
Daniel Ayenugba, son of former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dele Ayenugba was voted the best goalkeeper of the tourney as Abubakar Isah from Kano state with 7 goals emerged the winner of the golden boot.
The State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who was represented by his deputy, Dr Yusuf Nasiru Gawuna, said the state will continue to support the development of sports from the grassroots in the country.
Ganduje said the state will continue its support for YSFON to develop its programme in the country as it has shown that it has the ability to do so.
In the athletics events, Alanmi Usman won the 400 metres race as Agbana Samuel of Ekiti and Faisal Yakubu from Bauchi picked the second and third position respectively, in the 200 metres, Bashir Mohammed from Kano picked the top position followed by Nurudeen Abubakar from Kebbi and Musa Usman from Bauchi for the silver and bronze.
The Chief of Army Staff was represented by Brigadier General B.A Alabi while Air Commodore M.A Isah represented the Chief of Air Staff at the occasion.
