Grassroots Football
All-Stars Football Club, Abeokuta start their football calendar year on a winning note on Friday at their home ground, MKO Abiola Stadium’s training pitch yesterday when they piped Olabisi Onabanjo University(OOU) Alumni All-Stars 2-nil, in their first friendly match.
Both goals were scored in the first half, by the arguable man of the match Rasheed Shida. Shida provided the assist for the second goal scored by Tobi Olaoye. Interestinglly, Shida played in all the department on the field throughout the duration of the match he started from the attack in the first half which enables him to score one of the goals, at the start of the second half, he withdrew to the midfield and towards the tail end, he played at the centre of the defence.
The OOU team who played with as much as thirty-five players tried frantically to reduce the deficit but the opposing Goalie, Rasheed “Campos” Aremu stood like the wall of Gibraltar to ward off their offensives.
After the match, the manager of the OOU Alumni All-Stars, Hamsat Olatunde said they actually did not come to Abeokuta to win, but just to enjoy themselves as it’s been over a year they met a team as tough as All-Stars due to the breakout of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He revealed they knew the stuff All-Stars, Abeokuta was made of that it would have been upset if they had gotten away with a draw.
The Coach of All-Stars Abeokuta, Bolarinwa Charles was full of praises for his Wards, he opined that the rigorous training they engage in every Saturday really manifested during the match, he concluded that discipline has always been their watchword, hence, the achievements they’ve recorded
The President, All Stars Football Club, Abeokuta, Alh. Lawal Kashimaawo Waheed commended the OOU team for their discipline and comportment throughout the match and he wished them better luck next time. He said there is no gainsaying that the Abeokuta All-Stars team will always record victory, with the calibre of veteran and experienced players in the team including those who’ve played in the Nigerian Premier League, the National League and the Amateur League.
He added that if they are retired, the skills they horned in those years have not departed them. He opined that the Ogun State Federation’s Cup(FA Cup)they won in the year 2018 was not a fluke, they really deserved it and most of the Players who triumphed then are still very much around. Lawal revealed that they have lined up a series of friendly matches for the year that another one will be played at the end of this month and subsequently at least one friendly match would be played every month
Lawal who doubles as the Chairman Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria(YSFON), Ogun State Chapter revealed that a lot of engaging activities are lined up for the various youth teams of the Federation, he said: “if not for the postponement of the Ramat Cup in Kano, the Under-15 team would have gone to participate, nevertheless, the tournament is still coming up this year and our Players are getting very ready to participate”.
He charged the State government to brace up for their responsibility and help take Sports development out of the doldrums it had been in the last ten years
Lawal charged the three teams representing Ogun State in the newly kicked off Nigeria National League(NLL), Gateway United FC, FC Nilayo and Remo Stars FC to brace up for the Challenges ahead and make sure that at the end of the season we will have at least two teams promoted to the Nigerian Professional Football League(NLL)
Lawal who also triples as Ogun State Teqball Association said much has not been heard of the activities of the Association due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He concluded that as soon as we are free from the grip of the novel disease, Ogun State Teqball Association’s programs would be rolled out.
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