Sports

Kwara Utd pips Lobi Stars to wins Gov Okowa pre-season tourney

...we 'll offer good contract for our players - Badawiy

Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin on Friday beats Lobi Stars of Makurdi 8-7 on penalty to lift Governor Okowa pre-season tournament .
The match which was played at the Stephen Keshi Memorial Stadium, Asaba saw Kwara United edges Lobi Stars 8-7 on penalties, after barren draw at regulation time.
The two teams, which qualified from Group B of the competition, put up a wonderful display in the final, to the admiration of spectators, creating anxious moments while doing so.
Kwara United FC earlier defeated Lobi Stars 2-1 in the last match of the Group, to qualify for the semi-final, where they edged Rivers United by a lone goal.
The Special Guest of Honour, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who praised the standard of play of the teams said that Delta state government will maintain and sustain it’s support for sports development not only to curb youth restlessness, but boost talent discovery platforms.
The governor who was represented by the State’s Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu praised the organisers for organising a befitting competition which he says, justifies why the competition was introduced.
He pledged government’s continuous support for the organisation of the competition.
The General Manager of Kwara United FC, Bashir Badawiy said he brought the competition to Asaba in appreciation of Governor Ojowa’s commitment to sports development.
He commended the teams that participated for adding value to football development.
The Secretary of Club Owners Association, Alloy Chukwuemeka said that the competition is a new dawn, and an opportunity for clubs to prepare well ahead of the forthcoming season.
Kwara United goalkeeper, Emmanuel Iwu was awarded as the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.
Dede Moughara, also of Kwara United emerged Player of the tournament, while Abdulkareem Mumini scored the highest number of goals. The Fair Play award went to Rivers United FC.


…we ‘ll offer good contract for our players – Badawiy

Kwara United General Manager, Bashir Badawiy, has unveiled the plans by the club to offer its players attractive contracts in order to make them stay for longer years.
This, he said, was to avoid the situation where last season in the NPFL, Kwara United which registered many of its players on loan, lost 90 per cent of them after the team got relegated.
Players like Segun Alebiosu, Afeez Nosir, Usman Jonah, Ikefe, Alamayo left the Harmony Boys due to the inability of the past board to secure a good contract for them.
Badawiy said the new management would offer the players impressive deal that would make it impossible for any club to lure them away.
“We will make sure we offer good contract and welfare package for all our players which will be difficult for them to leave us.
“It is when players are not being taken care of that they will be forced to leave and that will not happen while we are in charge because my Chairman Titiloye has the support of the sports loving governor,” he said.
Bashir also rubbished talks going on among some fans in Kwara that his appointment as the GM came as a surprise alleging that he actually wanted to become the Team Manager.
“How can I come and become TM with a lower division side when I was the general coordinator at Rivers United and that position is even powerful in FIFA than the TM,” he said.
Many football stakeholders think Kwara United could find it difficult to qualify from its group in the coming NNL season, but Badawiy is optimistic that the Harmony Boys will soar above any opponent.
“We will not underrate any team when the season starts, but we are not scared of any club because we will all play football and by God’s grace, we will return to the top flight,” Badawiy emphasised.
Badawiy thanked the state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, for the trust and faith he has in him, Kunbi Titiloye and other board members.

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