The College of Commerce, Warri on Thursday defeated Zappa Mixed Secondary School, Asaba by two goals to one to emerge winners of the 4th edition of the Zenith Bank Delta Principals’ Cup.
The scoreline was the first time a winner would emerge from the soccer competition in the 90 minutes of play, without extra time and penalty shoot-out.
The exciting encounter at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta state, was graced by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, top government functionaries, president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, two ex-Super Eagles internationals, Victor Agali and Ifeanyi Udeze, among other soccer enthusiasts.
Ima Ekemeni secured a brace in the second half for College of Commerce, Warri, thus emerging top scorer with eight goals and eventual Most Valuable Player in the tournament. He carted home N600,000 and two laptops.
Daily Trust reports that the College of Commerce stamped superiority in the tournament with a five-nil drubbing of Okotie-Eboh Grammar School, Sapele at the semi final stage and were tipped to win the competition.
In spite of daring incursions in the Zappa eighteen yard box, the Warri lads could not demystify the compact and technical Zappa side in the first 45 minutes.
They however started the second half cautiously but tactically, which eventually yielded the break into the Asaba lads net fifteen minutes into the second half, when Ekemeni latched onto a lose ball in Zappa’s eighteen box to tuck in an opener in the far corner of the net.
Ten minutes later, Ekemeni secured his brace when he punished the Zappa defence line for a costly blunder, driving home a volley from a close range.
The College of Commerce goalie, Godwin Ovibu also emerged the best goal keeper of the tournament and went home with N200,000 and a laptop.
The triumphant College of Commerce was presented with the trophy, N1million and a brand new Toyota Hiace 18-seater bus while the Zappa Mixed Secondary School got N750,000.
Earlier in the third and fourth place play-off, Destiny Group of Schools, Ughelli pulled three past Okotie-Eboh Grammar School, Sapele and were rewarded with N500,000 and N100,000 respectively.
Over 612 public and government approved secondary schools participated in the tournament, according to the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Patrick Ukah.
In his remarks, the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, thanked Zenith Bank for sponsoring the competition in the past four years.
While appealing to the bank to extend the sponsorship to the Headmasters’ Cup which commences in January next year, Okowa called on well-meaning Deltans and other corporate organisations to exercise their corporate social responsibility by sponsoring sporting activities in the state.
The representative of the Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Henry Okon, said the bank will continue to do its best in sponsoring sports competitions and would confer with the governor on the possibility of sponsoring the Headmasters Cup.
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