Kunle Adelabu
The maiden HOA Street Soccer Showdown will kick-off tonight with 32 teams competing for honour in a tournament that will be played at night for the next three days.
The tournament, which is staged to promote cooperation and foster unity, is the first -ever street soccer to be held in Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), and also the first -ever to be played at night.
At the press conference held at the Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA conference room on Saturday, to herald the tournament, the organisers announced that the three-day tournament will hold at Olayinka Street which incidentally was reconstructed by the administration of Omo’ba Hameen Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA) who is sponsoring the tournament.
At the end of the tournament on Tuesday, the champions will go back home with N500, 000, while the first runners-up will pocket N300, 000 and the second runners-up will get N200, 000.
At the press conference, a big trophy donated by the council Chairman, Omo’ba Aroyewun, was unveiled by the Chairman, HOA Street Soccer Showdown, Mr Ogunsola Seyefunmi (Menzzo) with the support of Mr Toheeb Oke, the Supervisor for Youth & Sports, Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA and Mr Dapo Lawanson, a member of the committee.
On the opening day, 16 matches will be played by the 32 teams with the opening ceremony slated for 8pm, while the first match will kick-off at 9pm between Itunmokun and Light FC. The second match will be played by Prada FC and Street Kings FC.
The last match of the night, between Mayowa Gbadun FC and Igbogbo United FC is scheduled for 2:05am.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr Toheeb Oke, who represented the Chairman, Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, stated that the tournament is designed to promote peace and enhance unity among the people of Igbogbo, especially the youths.
He pleaded with team owners and coordinators at the press conference to make sure that members of their teams exhibit spirits of sportsmanship and cooperation throughout the tournament.
He assured the teams and spectators that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure security during the tournament.
Mr Dao Lawanson also emphasised that the tournament is to foster unity among community youths, and appealed to participants to be friendly.
He charged teams to always cooperate with the match officials and report their concerns to the organisers if necessary.
Mr Lawnason also enjoined the teams to look beyond the prize monies and embrace the fun, unity and the beautiful night atmosphere that the tournament will provide them.
While announcing the competition’s rules, Lawanson said that there will be no offside during the tournament; while there will be two halves of 10 minutes each and three minutes break in the half time.
He also added that a team can make substitutions at any time without going through the match officials, but that the player(s) coming in must allow the one(s) being substituted to leave the pitch first. Also, he said that there will be designated entry and exit points for the players.
Other rules announced are: two yellow cards will result in a red and any red -carded player will be out of the game for 2 minutes, while any player red -carded for serious tackle or physical attack on other player will be sent out of the tournament without his team being allowed to bring in a replacement.
He also stated that there will be no throw in, no goalkeeper and that penalties will be played from one ark to the other net among others.
