Emaljus FC sensation, Azubuike Chigozie, says his team’s third-place finish in this year’s 1XBet Community Cup confirms that many young, yet very talented footballers abound in the Lagos suburb of Badagry and its environs.
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Sports247.ng reports that Chigozie believes the ability of Emaljus FC to brave all odds, despite traveling for several hours on the long trip from their base to Lagos Island, attests to the quality of players in their community.
The ebullient youngster added that he and his teammates learned many valuable lessons from their participation in what was officially the second edition of the competition.
Chigozie said, “We gained a lot from this competition, and it was a good experience for us. We came from an unknown place in Badagry, and nobody expected us to succeed here.”
He then heaped praise on the sponsors and organizers of what has been widely regarded as the best community-based and grassroots football competition in Nigeria.
“There are many people from Badagry here because of this game. All thanks to 1XBet. We thank them for the experience. We love them, we like them, and we are happy to be here.”
Chigozie concluded by narrating his side’s journey to the third-place match at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos Island, adding that it was all made possible by God.
Reflecting on their achievement, Chigozie revealed that their victory was a case of “twice beaten, twice wise.”
“We lost on penalties in the semi-final. We also lost another tournament at our base by penalties. So, this time, we came here prepared. By God’s grace, we won. We have shown them that there’s talent in Badagry. There’s talent in Ojo, there’s talent in Okoko. Though the roads are discouraging, agents should come there and scout for talent,” Chigozie concluded with an open invitation.
