Sheroes Pre-season Cup: Edo Queens Emerge Champions

 

...set for NWFL kickoff 

 

 Edo Queens Football Club of Benin City yesterday at the Aguiyi Ironsi Guards Brigade ground proved their supremacy over the Anuja-  based  opponent Naija Ratels FC in the finals of the 6th edition of Sheroes Pre-season Cup competition winning the prestigious trophy after a decent and successful 1-0 win over the stubborn ladies with almost nine under- 17 National team players.  

The Red-hot Godwin Obaseki Benin City based girls opened scoring in the 37th minute of play by Emem Essien through an assist from  Suliat Abideen.

The coach Moses Aduku-led squad put up an outstanding performance throughout the competition. They played a total of five matches and had five successive victories.

In their opening game, they defeated Ekiti Queens FC by 4-1, thrashed Dannaz Ladies FC from Lagos 5-0, went on to humbled Honey Badgers 4-0

beat Sunshine Queens FC 2-0 and pipped the host side Naija Ratels FC 1-0 to lift the trophy.

In the pre- season tournament, virtually all the players Aduku Moses went with to the tournament were tested by the technical crew to access how ready they are for the NWFL premiership new season that is expected to kickoff November 15th 2023. And Edo Queens will open the new season  campaign by hosting FC Robo of Lagos at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City.

Their emergence as champions of the 6th edition of Sheroes Pre-season  tournament will also help them to do well at the 3rd edition of Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament scheduled to commence October 22nd 2023 in Benin-City Edo State. The  impressive performance of Edo Queens in the just concluded Sheroes Pre-season Cup competition is  highly commendable and a boost for the entire team towards future challenge.

It is significant to know that Edo Queens  had been pioneers of this pre- season tournament which started in 2019 at the Ape Aku Stadium Makurdi Benue State. In that maiden edition, Edo Queens were crowned winners with  Late coach Gabriel Adejor leading the technical bench.

 With the sensational display of these players, it is important to say that they must as a mater of fact keep this winning mentality on as they look forward for the bigger challenge ahead. 

 Edo Queens were superlative and  invincible throughout  the tournament, winning all the medals.

Edo Queens  goalie Etim Inyene won the Golden Glove  as the best goalkeeper, while the resilient captain of the team Suliat  Abideen, was voted the MVP the Most  Valuable  Player of the tournament, magnificent forward Emem Essien, emerged as the  highest goal scorer of the tournament with five  goals to her credit. 

Also the Main Organizing Committee MOC, of the pre-season tournament distributed balls and jerseys to the six participating teams, while the CEO of Ratels Sports Development  Foundation RSDF, Barrister Paul Edeh, and Super Falcons Captain gave a cash award of three hundred thousand N3000.00 to the three outstanding players of Edo Queens,Emem Essien, Suliat Abideen and Etim Inyene for their impressive performance.

In a post match interview, Edo Queens head coach Moses Aduku said: 

"We just thank God for His grace, we are using this tournament as a preparation for the big one ahead.  We are also happy that we participated in this competition, it has given me an apple opportunity to access my team, go back home work on whatever mistakes I have noticed from the players and then move on.

On winning the NWFL league for the coming season, he said:  We have come here won this competition, I believe history will repeat itself." 

Speaking of his new goalkeepers he noted:  

"Yes we actually shopped for new goalkeepers to add to the one we have. I also recruited new crops of players into the team in all departments. We are  going back now to work you know that the Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament BOWFT is at hand we are working assiduously to ensure that we do very well there knowing fully well that the NWFL new premiership season is at hand. So we see how we can build well for the league."