Liberty Professionals of Ghana win the 9th Pepsi International U 18 Tournament

The age-long football rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana again played out at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta in August.

Liberty Professionals [the 2010 runners-up to the Pepsi Football Academy] on this occasion won the cup with their 1-0 win over the SiaOne Academy of Abuja.

In the third place match, the BRF Football Academy of Lagos pipped the U15 Eaglets of Nigeria
by 3-2.

Though the U15 Eaglets failed to make it to the podium, they won the hearts of every fan that had watched them display their football artistry.
Even the coach of Liberty Professionals, George Lamptey, was full of praise for the Nigerian lads who had beaten his side1-0 in the group stages of the tournament.

“I am happy that my team won but at the same time sad the Eaglets did not win this tournament. The Dalandi Nasidi tutored side played the best football of all the teams in this tournament.”

The Pepsi Football Academy played a good host by upholding the spirit of fair play as the two teams it entered in the competition failed, on this occasion, to make it to the semi-finals.

In addition to the two Pepsi Football Academy teams that participated in the week long Pepsi International Tournament, other participants included the BRF Football Academy, Lagos: Liberty Professionals, Ghana: River Lane Academy, Enugu: Foot Dimension de Formation, Republic of Benin: SiaOne Academy, Abuja and the Nigeria national U-15 team.

The final was watched by two former coaches of the Super Eagles, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde and Amodu Shaibu.
Also, former Nigerian internationalists Toyin Ayinla, Etin Esin and Tajudeen Disu.

September 2011