Pat FC Retain Odion Ighalo Soccer Cup

For the second consecutive year, Pat Academy Football Club of Aja, Lagos, emerged Champion of the Odion Ighalo Soccer Championship for football academies in Lagos State, after defeating final opponent, Papa Soccer Academy FC 1-0.

With this victory, Pat FC thus retained the title they won last year. Pat FC victory came through a penalty goal in regulation time, after a very harsh tackle in the penalty box by Papa Soccer Academy defender.

The penalty kick was converted by Pat FC skillful top striker, Sunday Akinbule Ayanfe, with 15 minutes left on the clock.
The goal scored by Akinbule was the only goal of the final game at a time the spectators thought the game was running into extra time.

To get to the finals, Pat FC had defeated Young Stars FC 2-1 in the semi final.

Toheeb Yusuf, the captain of Papa Soccer Academy FC was voted the tournament overall Most Valuable Player. The MVP award was presented to him by Super Falcons of Nigeria star defender, Onome Ebi.

The second placed trophy, silver medals and dummy cheque of a N100,000 cash prize were presented to Papa Soccer Academy FC by the General Manager of Nigeria professional football club, Shooting Stars Sports club, Mr. Rasheed Balogun.

While the winner’s trophy, gold medals and dummy cheque of N150,000 were presented to Pat FC team by former Super Eagles’ defender and current Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Augustine Eguavoen. He was suported by the tournament’s General Coordinator, Engineer Waidi Akanni.

The captain of Champion’s team, Pat FC, Sunday Oliseh, said after the presentation that he’s optimistic his team would come back next year to win the title again for the third time and indeed for keeps.
He added: “We have young talented players who develop by the day under the supervision of our great coaches and we mature year in and out to greater glory. We are proud of the management of Pat FC Academy and we also say a big thank you to Super Eagles’ and Manchester United superstar Odion Ighalo for putting up this competition for the world to see us play. “

The tournament sponsor, Odion Ighalo, who monitored the final game from his base in Manchester, England on a live streaming, expressed his satisfaction on the general conduct of the second edition of the competition and promised to introduce more innovations for subsequent editions of the competition.

He also applauded the professional handling of the competition by the General Coordinator, Engineer Waidi Akanni, a Nigerian Football legend and former Chairman of Lagos State Football Association.