· As top eight teams are unveiled
Nigeria’s fastest growing and most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat has unveiled the top eight teams that will compete in the National final stage of the second edition of its Under-15 School Cup.
The teams came out victorious in regional matches that took place among school football teams that competed across eight regions in Nigeria.
The teams include Greensprings Secondary School, Lekki, Lagos; Asegun High School, Oyo; Government Secondary School, Imo; Washington Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, Anambra; Rimi College, Kaduna; Army Day Junior Secondary School, Sokoto; Winners College Akure, Ondo and Government Model School, Bida, Niger.
At the draws of the matches held on Monday, the teams were divided into two groups of four teams each.
In Group A are Rimi College, Kaduna; Winners College, Akure; Greensprings School, Lagos and Government Secondary School, Imo while in Group B are Army Day Junior Secondary School, Sokoto; Washington Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, Asegun High School, Oyo and Government Model Secondary School, Bida, Niger State.
Announcing the teams in Lagos, Head Events and Sponsorship,, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani said that all is set for the quarter and semifinal matches scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 – Friday, April 24, with the final taking place Saturday, April 25, 2015.
”We are kicking off the quarterfinal stage of this competition with a lot of action, optimism and energy. “This is not just a competition; it is an avenue to build a lasting legacy of support and exciting football experience at the grassroots level in Nigeria.
According to the fixtures, Rimi College will take on Winners College while Army Day Junior Secondary School will take on Washington Memorial Grammar School.
In other matches, Greensprings will take on GSS, Imo while Asegun will take on GMSS, Bida. All the teams are expected to play three matches culminating to the final on Saturday, April 25.
At the end of the championship, the first team will go home with N2m for the school and N50, 000 bursary to each of the players of the team while the second placed team will receive N1m for the school and N20, 000 bursary to each of the players of the team with the third placed team going home with N750, 000 for the school and N10, 000 bursary for each of the players of the team.
All these in addition to giant trophies for the first three placed teams.
The maiden edition of the competition was won by Keke Senior High School, Ijaiye, Lagos in 2013 and the school was rewarded with N1million cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where they played and defeated Al Yasmina School, Abu-Dhabi 2-0 in an international friendly match put together by Etisalat.