The Ikeja division of the Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer qualifying tournament saw Wasola FC rise to the top after a dominant 3-0 victory over Blood and Sand FC in Saturday’s final at the EL Cesped pitch in Ikeja, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Under the guidance of coach Paul Ezebiro, Wasola FC produced a stellar performance to grab the win.
An enthusiastic Ezebiro shared his excitement after the match but reminded his players of the bigger challenge ahead saying, “I am happy that we are champions of the Ikeja division.
“However, I’ve told my players that we must not get carried away. This is just a divisional qualifier, the 16-team tournament later this year will be much more challenging. We must stay focused and prepare well for what lies ahead.”
In the loser’s final, Soccergems FA claimed the final spot in the main tournament after defeating Amsterdam FA 4-2 in the goal-filled contest.
As champions, Wasola FC took home N500,000, while runners-up Blood and Sand FC earned N300,000. Soccergems FA, who finished third, were awarded N100,000. All three teams now have the opportunity to represent the Ikeja division in the upcoming 16-team tournament.
Akin Odunsi, the programme manager for the Spires 5-Aside tournament, expressed confidence in the success of the Ikeja qualifiers and looked ahead to the next phase.
“We’ve had a very successful outing in Ikeja, and we aim to build on this as we move forward,” said Odunsi.
“Next up is the Ikorodu Division, and we are confident it will be just as successful.”
The Spires 5-Aside Street Soccer tournament, now in its second season, has expanded its participation this year to include 40 teams from five divisions across Lagos in Epe, Ikorodu, Ikeja, Badagry, and Lagos Island.
Three teams from each division, along with the overall best loser, will qualify for the final 16-team tournament, scheduled to take place later in the year.
The Ikorodu Division qualifiers will kick off on Saturday, May 10, as the tournament continues to gather momentum.
