By Nengi Ernest
The Bright Osayi Samuel U13 Football Tournament quarter-final games lived up to the hype. Across four games, fans were treated to seventeen goals, two hattricks from two different scorers, and four semi-finalists’ emergence.
In the first game, Unique Light FC lost 2-6 to Namo FC, ending their participation in the quarter-finals while Namo FC advanced to the Semi-finals. Namo FC’s win was the biggest score margin out of the four games played in the quarter-finals. After a 1-1 draw in the first half, Namo FC found the back of the net 5 times in the second half, with three of those goals from Stanley Ufot, who won the Man of the Match award.
It was a delightful day for Delight FC, who edged past Camp Elite, all thanks to an early goal courtesy of Aimuamwonsa in the first half. Despite Camp Elite’s efforts to level up, Delight FC stood their ground, maintaining defensive discipline to run away victorious —securing their semi-final place. They might have been sent packing, yet Camp Elite produced the Man of the Match winner as Yusuf Hamza’s beautiful display didn’t go unnoticed.
Edo Young Star and Samco City FC, a keenly contested encounter that saw both sides score a goal apiece, went into the kicks from the penalty mark. Samco City displayed calmness and maturity during the shootout to win 5-4. Just like Camp Elite, Osapkolor Omoriye of Edo Young Stars was also named the Man of the Match despite the team’s failure to progress.
Depleted giant killers, Shavik FC bowed out to Okuta FC in a six-goal thrilling match. Okuta drew the first blood before Shavik FC responded at the start of the game. Just a few minutes before the end of the first half, Okuta made it two to go into the dough out at an advantage.
The trailing Shavik FC showed more composure and dominance in the second half, but schoolboy errors caused them the game. The team’s early equalizer wasn’t enough to stop Eric Momoh from netting a hat trick; the young boy, however, emerged Man for the Match for his outstanding performance and contribution to his side, Okuta FC.