The glamorous Mbaise Unity Football Competition came to its conclusive end on Sunday November 3 at the playing field of Central School Amuzi with lots of fun fair for both the players and the spectators that turned out en mass to see Ibeko fc retain the trophy they won last year.
The tournament which has lasted for Eight years and is in its Seventh edition as it started in 2005 but couldn’t hold in the year 2009 has remained one of the most reliable talent hunt grass root program in the Eastern Heartland with the level of quality players that has continued to grace the tournament.
In this year’s final, Ibeko fc retained the trophy they won last year by beating Ever Green fc 5 4 on penalties after playing 1 1 during the normal regulation thus becoming the first team since the inception of the completion to win the trophy back-to-back.
The high light of the grand-finale was the release of the raffle draw results and handing over of prizes to the winners by the donor and sole sponsor of the tournament, Chukwuma Njoku (Akaekpuchionwa) who in his speech thanked the special guests, spectators, players, team Managers and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), for all their efforts in making this year’s event a huge success promising to continue in sustaining the tournament while calling on well-meaning citizens of great Mbaise- Nation to also try and support the projeact that has brought so much joy, peace and harmony as well as help develop the future leaders of tomorrow.
Gracing the final event were dignitaries from all works of life as the special guest of honor who also took the kick-off of the final match Eng Felix Chukwu, Chairman of the Federal Road Safety Commission Board in the federation desribed the final match as very tough encounter while the Royal Father of the day HRH Eze Ugochukwu Innocent (Uhi one of Amuzi) also expressed his admiration for the players and the level of healthy competition in the championship.
The winners of the competition, Ibeko fc went home with 50,000 and the 1st runners-up Ever Green fc pocketed 30,000 while the 3rd placed team also did take home 20,000.
I Love Nigerian Players, They Are
Naturally Technical -Mitko Debrov
Former Heartland fc of Owerri Technical Adviser, Mitko Kostadinov Debrov has described Nigerian players as technically gifted and easy to work with stating that Nigeria remains the best team in Africa.
Speaking with Trumpeta sports chief recently in Owerri, the Bulgarian born football tactician who has spent a good part of his coaching carrier in Africa said he loves Nigeria so much that he has already made the country his second home since after his home country (Bulgaria) lost to the Super Eagles 0 3 and 0 1 in the World-Cup finals USA ’94 and France ’98.
It would be recalled that the gaffer who was born in the City of Dimitrovgrad, in 1954 led Heartland fc to the second position of the Nigerian Premier League in 2007/8 season after winning the Ghana ‘One Touch’ Premier League with Accra Hearts of Oak in 2006/7 season.
Debrov however, stated categorically that though he is hoping to tie up a contract with one of the top teams in Nigeria’s top flight league but that Heartland is not among the teams his agent is speaking with at the moment.
He maintained that his ambition back here in Nigeria is to win the nation’s top league trophy adding that he is addicted to winning and wants to add the Nigerian trophy to his CV.
The man who speaks three different international languages, Bulgaria, Russia and English parades one of the best coaching certificates any World class coach would want to have (BFU A Coaching award the “UEFA A Coaching License”) and has handled in the past many academy teams and coaching seminars which led to his winning the Ghanaian best Coach award in 2007.
NGOR OKPALA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
2/11/13
Umukabia 0 1 Ngor
Nnorie 1 2 Umuohiagu
Obokwe 1 3 Eziama
Ntu 0 0 Umuchulu
Amala 1 3 Elelem
Upe 0 3 Obioma
3/11/13
Obiangwu 0 1 Imerienwe
Logara 0 1 Ihitte
Alulu 0 0 Chekelem
Obichukwu 0 0 Ikem
Ozuzu 0 0 Umuekwune
MBAISE UNITY CUP FINAL
Ibeko fc 1 (5pen4) 1 Ever Green fc
Emma Okewulonu’s Unity Cup
3/11/13
Umuezeagu 2 0 Dimneze
Umunakanu 1 0 Nzerem Ikpem
Umunachi 2 2 Amuzi
EUFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
5/11/13
R/Sociedad — Man United @ 8.45pm
Shakhter — B/Leverkusen “
Copenhagen — Galatasaray “
Juventus — R/Madrid “
Olympiacos — Benfica “
PSG — Anderlecht “
Man City — CSKA Moscow “
V/Plzen — B/Munich “
6/11/13
Basel — S/Bucuresti “
Chelsea — Schalke o4 “
B/Dortmund — Arsenal “
Napoli — Marseille “
Zenit — FC Porto “
A/Madrid — Austria Wien “
Ajax — Celtic “
Barcelona — AC Milan “
FIFA U-17 SEMI-FINAL GAMES
5/11/13
Argentina — Mexico @2pm
Sweden — Nigeria @ 5pm
