Golden Friends Football Club defeated Odbid United Fc in the Under-17 category as the 2023 edition of the Victor Ikpeba Football Challenge, Warri 2023 flagged off yesterday at the Chevron Cooperative Artificial Pitch, Effurum, Warri, Delta State.
In other matches, Holy Arrow Fc beat Great Avengers 3-0. Champion Catheral silenced Ichofe Wonderers Fc by three unreplied goals to create a big chance to move to the quarter finals.
In the Under-13 category, Great Avengers beat Successful Pillars 4 – 0, while Moraks Fc lost to Golden Friends. Great Starts pummelled Orion FC 6-1, to open their quest to a great championship.
In other Under-13 category games, Delta Warriors lost to Valencia Fc.
The sponsor of the championship, the 1997 African Footballer of the Year and 1996 Olympic Gold medalist, Victor Ikpeba, Wednesday expressed delight on the standard of play exhibited by all the teams that played their opening games.
He noted that, he was moved by the players’ enthusiasm to participate in the Five-A- Side annual competition which is in its third edition.
He stressed that, with the standard of play, there are likelihood that more talented players will be discovered in this year’s of edition of the Football Challenge.
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Ikpeba noted that, the increased prize monies for all winners was deliberate to put smiles on the youth players and bring out the best in the players. “And not just that, more players will be encouraged to move to the bigger stage of the game across the world where the opportunities aboard.
The eventual champion of the Under-17 Victor Ikpeba Football Challenge, will go home with a cash prize of N250,000, second place N125,000 and 3rd place N100,000. While the fourth place in the category will get N75,000.
