Semi- finalists emerge in Bishop Mike Okonkwo football championship

Ifeanyi Eduzor

The ongoing annual Bishop Mike Okonkwo football championship is gradually separating the boys from the men as the four semi- finalists have emerged after the quarter-finals decided Saturday at the Nigeria Institute For Sports ( NIS) playing pitch, National Stadium Lagos.
In the first quarter- final match, Opopo Oba Iwamumo FA defeated Millennium Fc by 5-4 penalties after their game ended 1-1 at regulation time to book a ticket in the semi-finals while San Jasson Fc recorded another 5-4 penalty Victory over Ultimate Soccer FC after both teams played out a 1-1 draw at regulation time.
Also, Team 360 Fc qualified for the last four after recording a 2-1 victory over G. Innovation just as Cat Fc beat Indomitable Fc by 2-1 to book the last semi-finals ticket
Speaking on the tournament, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Deacon Malachy Ndubuzor expressed happiness that the competition is going as planned even as he promised that there will be no dull moment in both the semi-finals and finals.
” It’s a thing of joy that we have gotten to this stage of the championship without recording any ugly incident and as with the tradition of the competition, there will be no dull moment in any of the remaining games as we want to showcase to fans the best of grassroots football.
“You’re aware that what we have this year is an abridged version of what we use to have because in previous years we use to have 72 teams but this year we had 30 teams made up 24 male and 6 female teams.The reason is not far fetched as it was caused by the economic down turn facing the country now but am happy we’re matching on after 20 years of starting the championship.
” I’m equally happy that the standard of this year’s competition has been very high and in conformity with the standard which the competition is known for as the most competitive grassroots football tournament in the country and we’ll continue to maintain the standard.
Ndubuzor advised all the remaining teams to be focused, play to the rules of the game and have it at the back of their minds that at the end of the day, only one team will be e crowned winner and as such they should avoid all sorts of indiscipline.
He also announced that the four finalists for both male and female teams will be kitted.
The semi-finals will be decided on Saturday, 5th August while the finals comes up on September, 2, 2023 at the Yaba College of Technology.
The championship is organised annually to celebrate the birthday of the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission ( TREAM) Bishop Mike Okonkwo.