It was a goal galore and display of rare football talents at the AYCRIP-NELIS Football Academy exhibition match in Lagos on Monday, Sports247 reports.
The exhibition which took place at the Legacy Pitch in Surulere on Monday afternoon saw the players of the academy divided into two distinct sides of Team Red and Team While as Team White defeated Team Red by 8-1, under the watchful eyes football scouts from Japan, supported by Taiyo Foundation of Japan.
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According to the CEO of the academy, Ambassor Chris Ibeh, the exhibition match is to expose the wonderful talents of the academy before scouts where they can be seen and have their life changed forever.
He also affirmed that beyond just football, the initiative is to help transform the life of the under-served young one in the street .
He spoke on the vision of the AYCRIP – NELIS Football Academy
“AYCRIP is for crime and drug and substance abuse prevention, and NELIS is focused on sustainability and leadership, we joined these two values together to produce sports, professional players and community leaders and crime prevention ambassadors.”
“We watch out for unders served young Nigerians, we bring them into the academy, providing them with an enabling environment for them to show their skills before scouts who can see them and advance their career that is what we have done here today,” he told Sports247.
Some of the players spoke about his feelings and the prospect in the game
Ojo Israel said after the match, “I feel bad that we lost, though I scored my team only goal but I lost many scoring chances I don’t know why but why I get better in the outing “.
” I will love to play like Ronaldo in the future and with AYCRIP NELIS FA, I believe I can get there, they have been supporting my career “, Israel played for Team Red
As for Oladosu Reuben who scored a Hattrick, he wants to play in Europe and for Nigeria like Victor Osimhen and says it’s been wonderful for him at AYCRIP-NELIS, where he has been able to remain focused
” I feel okay , as a striker I love to score goals and today I give it all my best.”
“Osimhen is here role model, I love to play like him, love for Nigeria and also play in Europe”.
” My priority is to play as a professional, because all my life that’s what I have been doing . If I can be signed by a club in the NPFL or Europe , I don’t mind I just want to play football at the highest level, that’s why I train, go to the gym to keep fit and be ready to help me anytime I play,”said Reuben.
The AYICRIP-NELIS is an acronym for African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention (AYICRIP) and NELIS is Japan’s Next Leaders Initiative for Sustainability (NELIS)
