FC Segun Williams wins 3rd Ikpeba Football Challenge

 

Segun Williams Football club of Surulere, has emerged the new champion of the Victor Ikpeba Football Challenge 2023.

The Football Challenge which was in its third edition was played at its traditional venue, the Obele Odan Community Centre,  Fujah.

A total of eight teams participated in the Five-A-Side Football competition whose theme at the third edition is 'Appreciation'. As the sponsor of the event, the 1997 African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba said, was hosted in appreciation of the great opportunity given to him by his country Nigeria, to become a worldclass soccer star.

In the final match played  on Monday, June 12 at the Obele Odan Community Centre,  Fujah, FC Segun Williams defeated Chidi Nwachukwu FC 2-0 to lift the Gold Cup, gold medals and take home a cash prize of two hundred thousand naira.

The first goal of the final match was scored by team captain, Segun Ijitola, who capitalised on a defensive error to find the back of the net to give his team a 1-0 lead in the first half.

Dewunmi Omolaja, in the second half scored the second and the winning goal after connecting a pass from his teammate, Qudus, with five minutes to the end of the game. 

For finishing second place, Chidi Nwachukwu FC went home with a cash prize of N100,000 courtesy of the sponsor, Victor Ikpeba. They also got silver medals and trophy.

Idris FC of Surulere,  emerged the third place winner after defeating Lukmon FC in the losers' final 1-0.

Idris FC went home with a cash prize of N70,000, bronze medals and a trophy.

The Best Defender award was won by Abbey Kayode, while the Highest Goal Scorer's award was won by Segun Williams. 

 

The Most Valuable Player's Award was won by Michael Omage, while the Best Midfielder Award went to Dewunmi Omolaja.

The sponsor of the tournament, Victor Ikpeba, expressed satisfaction on the standard of play at the third edition.

He noted that, he believes the competition will in the next few years produce more national team players like Solomon Agbalaka.

Agbalaka, one of the products of the Victor Ikpeba Football Challenge 2021 played for the National Under-20 Football team at the CAF U-20 Nations Cup, and also played for Nigeria at the FIFA U-20 World Cup all in 2023.

Victor Ikpeba, promised to continue sponsorship of the grassroots football Challenge, which has believes will produce more materials for Nigerian clubs and national soccer teams.