- The National stadium in Surulere is hosting a 8-aside tournament as eight matches are played simultaneously on a single pitch
- Organizers say the competition is being used to reduce crime on the street
- The tournament is also being used to remove youths from street
Playing or watching a football match on a regular field is absolutely interesting. But having eight football matches played simultaneously on a single pitch is an unusual thing.
During a regular football tournament, you see teams in the same group play their last group matches simultaneously but in different match venues.
However, somewhere in Nigeria, there is a tournament that has just one match commentator who runs commentaries for eight different games in one pitch.
An official stays in the middle of the pitch that have been divided by a colour plastic cone separating each games. The matches are timed together ( i.e starting at the same time and ending at the same time too).
Lagos hosts 8-aside football challenge as 32 teams fight for N10k cash prize. Photo: Ifeanyi Ejimogu
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This unusual football tournament is happening live at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos and it is organized by The Redeemed Christian Church of God – City of Davis Chapel, Victoria Island Lagos.
Matches are played every Sunday from 7:30 am. They begin the day with a 15 minute sermon before the day matches.
According to one of the coaches on ground who gave his name as Mr. Ayo, the church is using this tournament to get youths out of the street and making them future footballers. Youth from different areas in Lagos both boys and girls are participating in the tournament of 32 teams (5 players in a team)
One wonderful thing about the tournament is that eight groups of four teams each are participating. They will play against each other in the groups. The best two teams qualifies for the next round.
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During the quarter finals, only four parts of the pitch will be used and each match will also be played simultaneously but during the final the complete field will be used.
The winner of the compitition goes away with a gift cash of N10,000 while other participating team will go home with a plate of rice for each team member.
The organizers said the compition have been running for three seasons now and it has helped produce some good players who have been taken to Europe by scouts for trials.
Following this development, the organizers are ready to continue to run this program so that they can help this youths stay out of street troubles and be useful to the society.
Story submitted by: Ifeanyi Ejimogu
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com asked Nigerians to name the club they think would win the UEFA Champions League and we got some pretty interesting options.
Source: Sports.naij.com
ROSY CREST
Saturday, 23 September 2017