By Yemi Sodeeq
Excel Progress has emerged champion of the Peace Unity and Progress (PUP)football tournament organized by Excel All-Stars Club in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The team defeated Excel Unity 4-3 on penalties after playing out a 1-1 draw in the regulation time of the final event which held on Saturday at the Kwara Football Academy.
The annual football tourney which is normally organized by Excel All-Stars, a football club which comprises of ex-footballers who are now professional in their different callings is aimed at deepening love among its members.
For this year’s edition, the club was divided into three groups( Excel Peace, Unity, and Progress teams) with a round-robbing approach leading up to the final.
Akeem Aremu, the President of Excel while speaking with Sportspro News correspondent at the final said the club has been able to use football as a rallying point towards contributing to the development of the society and individual members.
“As one big family, we have been able to unite our members with football and this has formed the major reason why we tagged this year’s edition of our championship “peace, unity and progress (PUP) Cup. he said.
Noting that this year marked the 9th year the club was formed, he expressed optimism of a massive turn out in 2021 when they will be celebrating a decade of its establishment as he added that a novelty match will also be played on Saturday 19th December to honor one of their members who has just been promoted to the rank of Major in the Nigerian Army.
Also speaking at the event, Abdulkareem Eyitayo, the president of Glamour FC commended the Excel family for the initiative. Describing them as a partner in progress, he revealed that the club had inspired the formation of Glamour a year ago.
As part of Excel’s corporate social responsibility for the year under review, the club was able to distribute palliatives to its members in a bid to cushion the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Guests at the event include the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of Excel All-Stars, Yinka Aremu, former president, Kwara All-Stars, Wale Alao, Sportspro News Publisher, Bayour Issah, and a host of others.
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