Light Moon Football Academy, on Sunday defeated Vision Football Academy Ibadan, 6-5, in penalty shootouts, to win the maiden edition of an under 18 football scouting tournament in Ibadan.
The football tournament which was organised by ScoutPro Sports Academy Limited, had the aim to discover and support young football talents across grassroots football teams and academies in Nigeria.
The final entered penalty shootouts after regulated minutes of exciting skills display with 1-1 draw.
Kamal Olojede opened the scoreline at 16th minute with a sublime strike to give Vision Football Academy an early lead against Light Moon Football Academy.
Aro Ajibowu’s 56th minute equaliser helped Light Moon Football Academy to get an important goal to regain their morale in the final match.
Speaking on the tournament, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Scoutpro Sports Academy Limited, Edward Agbaje, said that the goal of the tournament was to identify and recruit top young talents for potential opportunities to play abroad, particularly in Europe.
Agbaje added that the academy also aims to establish the tournament as a regular event across other states so as to provide opportunities for youth players to showcase their skills and gain international exposure.
“If they are successful abroad some of them will definitely come back home to invest their resources in Nigeria which will bring more development to our economy.
“Also, sports and security are kind of interwoven because when kids are engaged in sports, most vices will be eradicated, “he said.
He urged the government to revitalise decaying sports facilities and encourage school sports including Principals Cup and other school competitions that would lead to early discovery of raw sports talents.
Agbaje called on both government and other stakeholders to invest more in sports development noting that sport has power to unite the country irrespective of tribe, religion or colour of the citizens.
Speaking also, the Shooting Stars Sports Club(3SC) goalkeeper trainer, said that the tournament came at the right time when young talents in football and other areas of sports that unite the country need support.
He noted that a great percentage of great players all over the world and generations of past legends, were products of grassroots sports development programmes.
It would recalled that Champion Galaxy FC beat World Football Academy 3- 2 in the third-place playoff of the tournament that featured four teams.
It would be also recalled that Champion Galaxy FC lost to Light Moon FA while fourth position World Football Academy also lost to Vision Football Academy through penalty shootouts at the preliminary stages of the tournament on Saturday.
