An all-action attacker with Young Stars FC of Satellite Town, Lagos, Razak Medi dazzled brightest among an array of vastly talented lads en route to clinching the most valuable player award of a single day competition named in honour of his late coach, Osahon Emokpae.
Sports247 reports that the venue was Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Stadium in FESTAC Town, Lagos, during the maiden Coach Osahon Emokpae Memorial Football Carnival, and Medi twinkled bright in three matches that saw his team finish as runners-up behind SC Heritage of Ojo Barracks.
Medi started the one-day competition in top form, with waltzing runs and blistering shots but failed to score in a goalless draw with Flying Sports Academy of FESTAC Town, a team owned by former Mobil Pegassus of Eket and Genoa of Italy midfielder, Marshal Mbre.
Young Stars eventually won the opening game against the ‘home team,’ who were coached by a female tactician, Ogochukwu Atube but lost 5-3 on penalties, one of which was scored by Medi, who then went on to net a beautiful sizzler in his side’s 2-0 semi-finals victory over Coach Benjamin Amadi’s Intercontinental FC of Navy Town.
Somtochukwu Adim scored Young Stars’ second goal of that game with a wonderful solo effort but, while he was replaced in the goalless final versus SC Heritage, Medi twinkled from beginning to end of the encounter, which his side eventually lost 5-3 on penalties to cap a whole day of thrilling grassroots football at the ever-busy arena.
While Medi’s dashing runs at the opposing defence in the final saw him edge Adim to get the MVP award, the competition’s best goalkeeper prize went to SC Heritage’s Simeon Jeremiah, while Malian striker, Mohamed Ba of ESCA FC won the top scorer’s gong, despite his team’s semi-final loss to the eventual winners.
However, competition coordinator, Pastor Oscar Ezinwa Emmanuel said afterwards that there was no winner, no vanquished, as it was all a ‘friendly contest’ organised to mark the posthumous birthday of Coach Osahon Emokpae, which was on Thursday, October 1st.
“I want to thank all the teams that turned up for this Memorial Football Carnival. It’s the first edition and we hope the next one will be better. Thanks to the president of Iba Coaches Council for making it possible.
“I also thank Pastor Victor Macdonald of God’s Glory Ministries in Eswatini for helping us with the prizes for best goalkeeper, most valuable player and highest goal scorer.
“Kudos too to former league player, Joe Agwu for logistics support and the immediate past chairman of Lagos State Football Coaches Association, Raymond Akalugbo for providing us with sound advice.
“I also say thanks to Coach Hyginus Okoye of Young Stars for his efforts as liaison officer as well as Coach Iyke Anyaji of Santana Boys and Benjamin Amadi of Intercontinental FC,” said TM Oscar, who is also the secretary-general of Nigerian Grassroots Football Federation (NGFF).
Sports247 reports further that while Medi, who hails from Kebbi State, was the undisputed best player in the final, the highest scorer’s prize went to Mohammed Ba for playing a match less than SC Heritage’s Bayelsa State-born Joel Yikarebogha, who also had two goals but could not net in the final.
RESULTS & SCORERS
1. Young Stars 0, Flying Sports Academy 0 (5-3 pens)
2. Santana Boys 0, Intercontinental FC 1 (Ebere Ezekwe pen)
3. ECAS FC 3 (Tony Nwekwe, Mustapha Abdulkareem, Mohammed Ba), Owiseb FC 1 (Seyi Oyebode pen)
4. De-Atlanta Football Academy 0, SC Heritage 3 (Mohammed Nene Nezif, Daniel Moses, Joel Yikarebogha)
Semi-finals:
5. Young Stars 2 (Razak Medi, Adim Somtochukwu), Intercontinental 0
6. ECAS FC 1 (Mohammed Ba), SC Heritage (Joel Yikarebogha) 3-5 pens
Final –
7. Young Stars 0, SC Heritage 0 (5-6 pens)
