It was fun and excitement as the maiden edition of the 1XBET Cup Kicked off Tuesday at the Nitel Training ground venue of the DBI Conference.
In the first game of the competition, a Group A clash, Capital Avalanche and Cheche Stars played out a 1-1 draw, while in the second match of the day, Fackson FC thrashed Soccer Touch 3-1 to lead the group in the round-phase of the competition.
An excited Alex Kanu, who captained and also scored the equalising goal for Cheche Stars, expressed his gratitude to 1XBET, for sponsoring the competition. He stated that it would help to keep non-league players busy, as well as, giving them the opportunity to expose their talents. The young midfield dynamo, whose dad, Monday Kanu, was a former Nigeria international player who also played for Bendel Insurance and Julius Berger.
Also speaking with journalists, Engr. Waidi Akanni who is the Coordinator and Consultant for the 1XBET Cup, said he was happy that the competition started on a good note. Akanni disclosed that there are plans by the organisers and the sponsors to bring more exciting moments to the participating teams and fans, as the competition progress.
Hostilities continued in Match Day 2, with matches played in group B at the same venue. It began with G-Innovation FC and Bariga FC playing out a 2-2 draw in a game which could well be described as a game of two halves.
G-Innovation led 2-0 in the first half with goals scored by Pascal Anuforo and Henry David in the 4th and 11th minutes respectively. A rejuvenated Bariga FC took the game by the scruffs of the neck to level up 2-2 in the second half through goals by Timothy Kolawole and Nduka David in the 43rd and 50th minutes of the game.
The second game of group B played between Emiloju FC and Ifako FC, was a spirited displays by the two youthful sides.
And with neither side, giving ground to the other. End to end actions, yet, it couldn’t produce a winner.
