Bethany Int’l College thrash Baptist Academy 2-0 to win maiden Gombe football tournament
Bethany International College football team has defeated their counterpart from Baptist Academy 2-0 to win the maiden football tournament organised for private secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.
The two-week tournament, which started with eight teams from eight different secondary schools in Gombe metropolis, climaxed with a scintillating and pulsating match played at the Bethany football pitch on Friday.
The final match was greeted with cheers from supporters and dignitaries who graced the event as players from both teams showed great skills and talents to the admiration of everyone.
Read Also: FG IOM, others review national migration policies
The deciding moments came when Andrew Raphael broke the deadlock with a super strike that rendered the opponent’s goal-keeper helpless.
Baptist Academy boys showed resilience and fought hard towards equalising but their effort yielded no result and their hard work was punctured when the captain of Bethany Int’l College team, Japhet Nehemiah who is also the tournament’s highest goal-scorer with five goals, netted the second goal in the match to cement victory for his team.
Reacting in a post-match conference, the octogenarian, Mr Ayo expressed happiness for such a competition to be organised in his honour, describing the tournament as a good avenue to harness football talents and promoting sporting activities in schools.
“I observed strict orderliness and good discipline at the final stage. The overall winner emerged- The Bethany International College, Gombe.
“The salient motive for the tournament was to generate the good spirit of healthy competition and to encourage the essential and good spirit of hard work (diligence).
“I have observed the good beginning of the Spirit of Sportsmanship reaching out to the students of the participating institutions.
“I pray and hope that this will continue and will further enhance the production of great sports students. Amen.
“I congratulate all participants-schools/colleges, games officials, and all the organisers. I congratulate this year’s champions-The Bethany International College Gombe.
“ I am personally grateful for all the honour and respect done to me. May the blessings of God reward you. Amen!,” he said.
Mrs Benedicta A. Olaniyan, the school manager, Bethany International College, commended her school for emerging winner of the maiden football championship for private schools in Gombe metropolis.
Olaniyan said she was amazed that her students won the competition, “ I saw how they dedicated their time to practice for the competition. It’s was an exciting experience for the students. I pray that this tournament will be a continuation from now,” the excited manager said.
The competition was organised to honour Mr S. A. Ayo, one of Gombe’s football soccer legends, who donned the jersey of Gombe Town between 1957 and 1972, as he marks his 80th birthday in distinctive style.
The competition was sponsored by the Ayo Family as a way of appreciating their father’s deep positive contributions to the entire family, Gombe State, and the nation at large.
For winning the competition, Bethany male football players were adorned with gold medals and the team smiled home with N50, 000 cash prize while Baptist Academy team grabbed N20, 000 alongside their silver medals for being the runner-up team of the competition.
Our correspondent reports that the teams that participated in the competition include Bethany Int’l College Gombe; Zenith International, and integrated College Gombe; Onward group of schools and Savannah International School.
Others are Baptist Academy Gombe; Alheri model School Gombe; All Saints College Gombe, and Numba Royal Academy Gombe.
