Fabulous prizes as Awoye spank Adifala 2-0 to lift maiden Twindad Cup
Khalid ABRAHAM
Awoye FC have emerged winner of the maiden edition of the Twindad Football Tournament after beating Adifala United 2-0.
The thrilling final match played at Soun Stadium Ogbomoso came up after Taraa Rovers also triumphed 2-0 over Ogo-Eri FC to win third place.
Afolabi Olabode shot the champion into the lead after scoring in the first minute to record the fasted goal of the tournament.
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Olabode received a pass in the 18 yard box to blast home the curtain raiser leaving the Adifala goalkeeper watching helplessly as the ball sailed in.
The match produced no other goal in the first half though both sides missed several scoring chances.
In the 60th minute Timileyin Afolabi made it two for Awoye to seal victory for the church-owned side.
A comeback became difficult for the losing side when they were reduced to men following a red card against one of their players for being rude to the referee after he was cautioned for a rough tackle.
Taraa Rovers also put two past the goalie of Ogo-Eri to emerge third best team of the competition.
Rasak Tayo a four-hundred level Computer Science student at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) put Taraa Rovers ahead in the first half before Funmito Adediran took it beyond their opponent in the second half.
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Awoye FC got a prize money of N300, 000 for their feat while the runners up Adifala went home with N200, 000.
The third placed team was rewarded with N100, 000 and the got N50, 000.
The best player award went to Ganiyu Sodiq of Adifala Utd.
Adegbite Seye of Taraa Rivers emerged the highest scorer with 3 goals while was named the best goalkeeper.
The excellent performers including best coach, fair play winner and so on also received cash awards.
Dr Adekunle Adegbite CEO of Twindad Orphanage Home, which organized the tournament told reporters that his motive is youth empowerment.
“Youth empowerment is very very important. We need to take the best out of people and help them out. If we see someone that is good we may even sponsor him. But the goal is just youth empowerment, to get the best out of them.”
The US-based medical practitioner assured the tournament would be annual while debunking claims he wanted to found a football side submitting,”not interested in having a team, thirty two teams participated, so creating teams not the main thing but supporting the ones we already have.”
This is as he promised a bigger event in 2024, “We are going to get more people involved. My friends who can do like my brother Chief Akinwole Akinwale did by supporting exceptional players with monetary awards would be involved.”
He urged youths to be focused, “learn a craft, work to excel in whatever gifts they have and importantly they have to acquire education on the side, to fall on. Whatever you have, just keep doing it, it is very very important.”
