The first fixture of Matchday 3 lived up to the billing as two fabulous goals were scored from set plays by both teams in the first half.

Hammola, a Nationwide League One Division One team from Osun State, were brave enough to take a surprise lead in the 11th minute via a set-piece from Olajugba Ayokunle that beat goalkeeper Charles Tambe.

Experienced Cameroon shot stopped and could not help but spill the ball into his own goal as he attempted to force a save.

Hammola’s one-goal lead only lasted for 23 minutes, as Remo Stars Odibo Godwin got the equaliser after a lovely finish from a Seun Odunsi assist.

With the game nearing half-time, Hammola regained the lead courtesy of a cool finish from Olarenwaju Habeeb, who beat his marker to lob the ball beyond the reach of Tambe, to the top right corner of the goal to make it 2-1.

Former MFM and Enyimba right-back Stanley Okorom displayed captain stuff, as he put the game on level terms with a sublime free kick in the first minute of added time.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Remo Stars showed why they’re an NPFL side, after Mujeeb Odufeso punished Hammola’s backline, creating space for himself to score his team’s third with a decent finish.

As the NLO side searched for their third goal, they then got punished on the counterattack in added time.

Samuel Anakwe put the game beyond Hammola with the sixth goal of the game and fourth for Remo Stars.

It was an inspiring showing from Sporting Lagos as they got a back-to-back win in the 10th edition of the Optima Energy Gold Cup as they shocked Gombe United at the FC Ebedei Stadium in Sagamu.

A good performance from both teams in the opening 38 minutes, as they showed quality in depth but not much of a shot on target at both ends.

Two minutes later, the real chance came for Sporting Lagos and they made the better of it, after Okon Saturday powered his way past a Gombe United defender with his strength inside the box, to shoot the ball beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.

Gombe United then resulted in high pressing as they searched for the equalising goal but Sporting Lagos were decent with their defending and not showing signs to let goal their lead.

The real chance to level the scoreline came for Gombe United from a set-piece close to the arch of Sporting Lagos box, but Sani’s effort from the well-taken free kick missed the target, to the relief of the Lagos-based team.

Sporting Lagos go top of Group B with the win with 6 points followed by Shooting Stars in the second spot with 3 points.

In the second Group A game, Sunshine Stars showed no mercy after they flogged Gateway United 3-1 to claim their first win in the Optima Energy Gold Cup at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

The Owena Waves who were forced to a one-all draw by defending champion Remo Stars took 10 minutes to get the first goal.

Alani Azeez took advantage of  Gateway United schoolboy defending to tap into the net.

Sunshine Stars then increased their tally in the 29th minute with the second goal after Sulaimon Mojereola fired a rocket-like shot on target after he beat the off-side flag. 

This forced Gateway United to immediately reshuffle its personnel by introducing Olajide and Olukoya, as they kept it decent to the end of the 1st half.

It was the Edith Agoye lads all the way and they got the third goal after a tactical exchange of passes at the by-line, Emeka Emmanuel then appeared inside the final third to bury the past the goalkeeper in the 84th minute.

Less than 60 seconds later, Solomon Alade with a sensational strike then reduce the deficit as he scored Gateway United’s first goal in the Optima Energy Gold Cup.

Sunshine Stars who now have 4points, keep the chase on leaders Niger Tornadoes.

Abubakar Bala says his Tornadoes will show quality in their next Optima Energy Gold Cup matches against fellow NPFL sides Sunshine Stars and Remo Stars.

He said after the win against Hammola FC of Osogbo: “I’m delighted that we have used the first two games in the Optima Energy Gold Cup to test the new players, and garnered six points.

“It has given us an avenue to access the team and the options we have. If you saw our play against Gateway FC and Hammola FC, the players that played for Tornadoes were the lads that are trying out with us.

“Sincere thanks to the two teams we have played so far, as they exposed a few blind spots to us and also gave a good account of themselves. 

” Playing against the lower league teams is never easy, always tough and they are stubborn to beat, as they want to prove a point that they are good too by showing quality.

“Our striking options after two matches have not been fantastic but there is room for improvement.”

Ahead of Ikon Allah’s two tough matches against Sunshine Stars and defending champions Remo Stars, Bala hinted that his team will come good.

“Our Optima Energy Gold Cup campaign will begin with these two games. We have seen what the two teams are capable of, it was a tough game and they played good football.

“Expect a different NIger Tornadoes, as I’m going to start my best legs for the matches, as the fixture is like that of the Premier League. Men versus men and not against boys. 

“The results from these two matches can change the shape of the Group A table but on our part, anything short of 4points is nothing.”

Gbenga Ogunbote says he’s not yet satisfied with his team’s depth, even as Shooting Stars flogged Beyond Limits in a five-goal thriller in an early fixture of Matchday One at the FC Ebedei Stadium in Sagamu.

Ogunbote, an Optima Energy Gold Cup winning coach with Remo Stars and now 3SC Head Coach in his post-match talk said he still needs to do more to build a formidable Oluyole Warriors.

“The Optima Energy Gold Cup is a platform for me and my assistants to strengthen the team as we countdown to the 2022/23 season; so am not carried away by the scoreline or victory against Beyond Limits, as there is still much work to do.

“For the players, the win is good for them as it will boost their confidence level and improve their play in subsequent matches in the preseason tourney.

“I think my team is growing in strength when compared to our performance in the last preseason tourney we had in Ikenne a few weeks ago.

“We didn’t do much in it, because I had worked with the team barely less than a month. So I used the window to have a firm assessment of the players that were retained and to know the departments which I need to recruit players for.

“Not taking anything away from Beyond Limits, they are a team I know and are good. They are a team, I didn’t need to tell you how they play as they can rattle any team regardless of your status.

“But in the game; they had a few careless moments, which I knew was going to happen and we made the most out of it. Of such moments were the two needless free kicks and penalty they gave away, which saw Akpan Joshua scoring from them to get his hat-trick.

Organizers of the Optima Energy Gold Cup have informed that the 10th edition of the nation’s most prestigious preseason tournament for clubs in the domestic leagues will kick off on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

Organizers of the Optima Energy Gold Cup have informed that Remo Stars will begin the defence of its title, as the 10th edition of the nation’s most prestigious preseason tournament for clubs in the domestic leagues kicks off on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

Organizers of the Optima Energy Gold Cup have informed that Remo Stars will begin its title defence, as the 10th edition of the nation’s prestigious preseason tournament for clubs in the domestic leagues kicks off on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

Tunde Shamsudeen, General Coordinator of the tourney told Optima Energy Gold Cup Media: “We want to use this medium to thank the over 30 different clubs, which cuts across the three tiers of our league that have taken part in the Ogunjobi Gold Cup (now Optima Energy Gold Cup).

” The tournament inception in 2012, has proven to be the best platform for teams to prepare themselves extensively against tough teams, to know their strengths, drawbacks and proffer solutions to them before going into the season.

“Also the Optima Energy Gold Cup over the years has been part of some club’s success stories from former NPFL champions Kano Pillars, Lobi Stars, MFM FC, Niger Tornadoes, FC Ebedei and now Remo Stars.

” It’s on record that one or two teams that participate in the yearly tourney either end up winning the NPFL title, qualify for the CAF inter-club tournament or gain promotion.

“As we set the ball rolling for this year’s edition, it promises to be an exciting one for the 10 teams that will be looking forward to taking part and indeed fans.

“All necessary arrangement and logistics has been put in place to ensure a hitch-free tourney as there will be much fanfare and activation.

“The tourney will be co-hosted respectively at the Remo Stars Stadium and FC Ebedei Stadium in Ikenne and Sagamu.

“Official correspondence (invitation letters) has been sent to intending clubs in the three tiers of our domestic leagues, Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL) and Nationwide League One (NLO).

” Ten (10) teams are to participate in the 10-day soccer fiesta that will begin on Thursday, September 22 and climax on Independence Day, October 1, 2022.

“Teams will be grouped into two groups of A and B with five (5) teams each, and are expected to play four (4) group matches with two (2) teams with the highest number of points qualifying for the semi-finals.

Remo Stars defeated Kwara United in the second semifinal game to seal their spot in the final 4-2 via penalties after the dramatic game ended 1-1 at duration time.

The newly promoted NNL side, Smart City will battle the CAF Confederation Cup campaigner, Remo Stars in the grand finale on Friday at 3pm.

“I want to congratulate the two clubs that made it to the final, and we are looking forward to an explosive final. We appreciate all the clubs that participated in the tournament, they made the tournament competitive. I love the passion and emotion of the clubs and their sportsmanship behavior,” said Chairman of the ValueJet Cup organizing committee, Otunba Tade Azeez. 

Smart City walked over Vandrezzer FC in the first semifinal game due to a sponsorship agreement with ValueJet Airline.

“ValueJet Airline are the premium sponsor of the tournament, and we must protect our agreement. The first communication to all the clubs was an invitation letter, and we invited 18 clubs to participate in the tournament. 10 clubs responded to our invitation and we invited all the clubs to our unveiling ceremony of our sponsor and the draw which was the platform we used to communicate the framework and sponsorship terms to all the clubs.

“We informed the clubs about the clause in our agreement with ValueJet Airline that all participating clubs would play with a branded jersey at the ceremony. Vandrezzer FC just like the other 9 clubs had a representative at the ceremony, we informed the clubs that the ceremony was important to clarify the rules and benefits of the tournament. We presented the jersey to Vandrezzer FC officials at the ceremony and they accepted our sponsorship terms which include the appearance fee and prize monies. 

“They (Vandrezzer) communicated to us after playing with the jersey in the first game without any issue and we further explain to them about the agreement with our sponsor. They had the opportunity to pull out of the tournament after the sponsor ceremony, we had the clubs and Airline management present at the ceremony in case of any dispute but we had none.

“We apologize to the football fans that came to the stadium to enjoy the game and those watching via our YouTube channel. We regret the unfortunate incident, we must protect the framework and sponsorship terms of the tournament after official communication to all the clubs. We understand and respect Vandrezzer’s decision to discontinue the game and we wish them success,” Tade added. 

The tournament logo designed by foremost Sports Content Agency, Out of Line Media represents the tournament premium sponsor, ValueJet Airline, and the strength of champions for the participating clubs.

“We have been organizing the preseason tournament to project the brand image of Ogun State, and after years of successful organization our focus has shifted to make the preseason tournament a legacy project. 

“We are honoured to welcome ValueJet Airline to drive our dreams, they have given us an identity that will outlive different generations. Our target is to make the tournament lucrative and a world-class platform to prepare our clubs for the season,” said Chairman of the ValueJet Cup organizing committee, Otunba Tade Azeez.

The ValueJet Cup logo will be fully integrated across all media sectors which include; Television Graphics, Print Materials, Tournament Branding, Digital, and Social Media.

ValueJet Cup head of communications, Mr. Tobi Adepoju has said, there are plans to grow the new identity that will encourage cooperate sponsors. 

“We witnessed this year’s Emirates Cup in London and that is the level we want to be in years to come. We are learning from several branded preseason tournaments, and our target is to build this new identity to a top level. 

“Apart from creating the best environment for domestic clubs to prepare for their new season, we want to create a culture out of this new identity and we are excited about the prospects with ValueJet Airline,” said Adepoju.

Official hashtag >>> #ValueJetCup22 

The first whistle at the competition will be blown 4 days from today and with the draw for the tournament set for August 23, the Organizing Committee Coordinator has reported good preparations for a mind-blowing competition.

2022 ValueJet Invitational Pre-Season Football Championship, will take home total prize monies of N3.5Million, with the champions going away with a cash prize of N2 Million, the first runners up take home N1Million and third place team get N500,000.

Badawiy said, “Preparations are going well as planned. From the onset, there have been communications between the Organising Committee and ValueJet.”

“The number of days that the competition would take place promises moments of exciting football at this year’s Tournament.”

Badawiy thanked Hon Kunle Soname for his financial and moral support in ensuring that this year’s event becomes a reality.

“Hon Kunle Soname is a Sports loving man. On behalf of my committee members, I’m using this medium to thank him for his support.”

“He deserves an applause for working around the deck to ensure that we don’t lack anything. The crucial role of my team of organizing committee gives me joy.

The money spinning tournament will take place from August 24th to September 3rd at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State.

Remo Stars, Kwara United, Lobi Stars, Plateau United, Niger Tornadoes, 3SC and Sunshine Stars have already confirmed their participation for the competition.

Others are Gateway United, Bayelsa United, Ijebu United, Bendel Insurance and Vandrezzer.

The venue of the tournament is Remo Stars Stadium.

The Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Otunba Tade Azeez disclosed that the prestigious preseason tournament will feature top Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and Nigeria National League (NNL) clubs.

“We have invited 18 clubs to participate in the tournament, and we are offering them the platform to prepare for the new season. We appreciate ValueJet for coming on board, and we have put together a solid Organizing Committee to deliver a top-notch tournament,” said Azeez.

The winner of this year’s edition of the ValueJet Cup will cash home Two Million Naira (N2,000,000), the first runners-up and second runners-up will be rewarded with a cash prize of One Million Naira (N1,000,000), and Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) respectively. 

All the participating clubs will get Two Hundred and Fifty Thousands Naira (N250,000) as appearance fees that will ease the club’s logistics.  

“We are investing ValueJet sponsorships to support the clubs, we want them to experience a top-quality preseason tournament and our objective is to ensure the clubs have the best preparation ahead of the new season, especially for our clubs that will participate in the continent. We have cash prizes in millions and all the participating clubs will get an appearance fee to make their preparation easy,” Azeez added. 

The Organizers have confirmed Mr. Bashir Badawiy and Mr. Oye Bawala as the Tournament Coordinators. 

Katsina United FC and Shooting Stars FC U-15 sides have both made it through so the semi-final stage of the ongoing NPFL Laliga U-15 Promises Youth League, sponsored by ValueJet, with MTN standing strong as elite Partners.

shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan beat Sunshine Stars of Akure 2-1, while defending Champions, Katsina United peeped Wikki Tourists by a lone goal in the second match of the day to complete the semi final pairings.

Ajayi Samuel gave Shooting Stars the lead with volley from 20 yards out in the 9th minute while Juwon Adeyemi cancelled the lead for Sunshine 12 minutes later. The lads from Ibadan kept piling up the pressure and asking all the questions until Wahab Azan made it two in the 56th minute to ensure their semi final ticket is in the bag.

Coach of Shooting Stars FC, Adeyemo Ayodeji, in his post match briefing stated this: “The match was really tough for us, and I think it largely because our boys didn’t play to instructions. We hope to correct whatever mistakes made here today in our next game.

in the second match of the day, Abubakar Yasir’s 26th strike was all it took the defending Champions to book a semi final slot, as all efforts by the Bauchi based side to initiate a come back proved abortive.

Handler of Katsina United, Tukur Hassan in his post match reaction, said: “We have been facing this competition one game at a time and so far, it has worked for us. The boys actually played their hearts out in all departments and I’m proud of them.

Recall that this Katsina United side has qualified for the last four since the inception of the NPFL Laliga U-15 Promises Youth League in 2017, and lifting the coveted trophy in 2019 and 2021.

The semi final pairings of the U-15 Youth League will see Kano Pillars FC clashing with Remo Stars FC, and the second match of the day is a duel between Shooting Stars FC and Katsina United FC, on Thursday 5th May, 2022.