By Femi Atolagbe
The third edition of the Adu Unity Football Competition kicked off in Akure with an exciting opening match between defending champions, Ijapo Ages Stars, and United Army, which ended in a 1–1 draw at the Ondo State Sports Complex.
The first half of the keenly contested encounter ended goalless before Eric Greg sent the crowd into jubilation in the 53rd minute, scoring the first goal of the tournament. His well-placed shot to the far left corner put Ijapo Ages Stars FC ahead.
Both sides displayed impressive football artistry, thrilling spectators with skillful plays and tactical discipline.
United Army, however, fought back through Segun Oni, who capitalised on a defensive error from the champions to level the score at 1–1, a result that stood till the final whistle.
In the second game of the day, Alagbaka FC secured victory over Kings City, with Rotimi Ayomide and Pius Chikodi scoring a goal each in the first half. Alagbaka had earlier missed a penalty after one of their players was fouled inside the box.
Speaking after the match, Michael Karimu, Technical Director of Ijapo Ages Stars FC, praised his team’s performance and resilience.
“Every team wants to defeat a champion. It was a good fight from both sides; we played our hearts out, but it ended in a draw. We’ll remain focused, restrategise for the next games, and avoid complacency,” Karimu said.
He also commended the competition’s sponsor, Hon. Olumuyiwa Adu, for his consistency in supporting grassroots football development in Ondo State.
United Army’s coach, Okelola Olusegun lauded his players’ fighting spirit.
“Even when we were a goal down, the players didn’t give up. It was an entertaining game from both teams,” he said.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Raymond Abdulsalam, applauded all four teams that featured on match day one for their maturity and sportsmanship.
“This competition shows that there’s an abundance of football talents in Ondo State. We’ll do our best to ensure outstanding players are exposed to bigger opportunities,” he noted.
A total of 23 teams from the 18 local government areas of Ondo State are vying for the tournament’s top prizes of ₦1,000,000, ₦500,000, ₦300,000 respectively.