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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Medical Strikers FC of Gwagwalada last weekend in Abuja smiled home with the sum of N1 million prize money after emerging champion in the inaugural edition of the Montage Community Football tournament in a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout against Chidex FC of Bwari.
The fiercely contested, tense, and captivating final, which took place at the Area 10 Old Parade Ground’s football pitch in Garki, Abuja, went into a penalty shootout after the deadlock at the end of regulation time, despite numerous spirited attacks from both teams that resulted in a goalless draw.
The hundreds of passionate fans and distinguished invited guests that packed the stands created an electrifying atmosphere as they witnessed a truly nail-biting encounter.
Medical Strikers FC’s triumph not only secured the team the prestigious title but also a substantial cash prize of one million naira (N1,000,000.00) and a magnificent winner’s trophy.
Runners-up Chidex FC also received a commendable N700,000.00 and silver medals for their impressive performance throughout the competition.
Earlier in the day, the third-place play-off match saw ECN FC of Kwali defeat Gum FC of AMAC to claim the bronze medal and a cash prize of N400,000.00, rounding off a memorable tournament.
Tournament coordinator Raphael Ekpang, who spoke to Sports Writers, described the event as a resounding success, explaining that its primary goal of uniting the Abuja community at the grassroots level had been achieved.
According to Ekpang, “Grassroots competition truly is the way forward for sport and community engagement. Over the past three weeks of the competition, we have successfully brought people together at the grassroots, fostering unity. We progressed from the area council to the zonal level, culminating in today’s final. We saw Gwagwalada face Bwari, and Kwali play AMAC in the third-place match. Ultimately, we succeeded in bringing people together for networking and friendship.”
Meanwhile, while Miracle Ike of Chidex FC emerged the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), Ibrahim Alhassan of Medical Strikers clinched the highest goal scorer with four goals to his credit.
