More teams have qualified for the Round of 16 of the ongoing Ikukuoma Mbaise Owerri Zone U-20 Football Tournament powered by the President, Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation, High Chief Dr Summers Nwokie from the games played on Saturday.
The final two tickets to the first stage of the knockout round will be decided on Sunday February 11th when the last two group stage games are played at the Central School Field Ezeagbogu Ezinihitte Mbaise.
On Saturday February 10th, Onicha Nwenkwo (Ezinihitte Mbaise) picked the second ticket from Group F following their 1-0 victory over Umuhu Okwuato (Aboh Mbaise). Henry Eziuhu’s 10th minute strike was enough to hand crucial points to Onicha Nwenkwo who finished second with three points behind Aguneze Community (Ahiazu Mbaise) who have four points.
Uvuru (Aboh Mbaise) roundly defeated Oru Community 3-1 to top Group G with four points while Obokwu Community came second with two points.
Uvuru were 2-0 up under two minutes through the goals of Godwin Oparaocha (from the penalty spot) and Samuel Owiriwa in the 27th and 29th minutes. Divine Herbert tried to force a comeback when he halved the deficit in the 46th minute but Famous Ahamefula put the result beyond doubt when he notched the third goal for Uvuru in the 56th minute.
In the games played on Friday, Umuoree Eziudo (Ezinihitte Mbaise) pipped Amumara Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise) to put the two Qualifiers in Group D on hold until the final group game slated for Sunday between Umuoree Eziudo and Okpofe Ezeagbogu (Ezinihitte Mbaise).
Umuoree’s Njike Udoka grabbed the all important matchwinner three minutes from time to give his team the chance to make it to the Round of 16.
Umuoree are currently top of Group D ahead of Amumara based on head to head even though both teams have three points each. Amumara are second and have completed their group stage matches.
In Group E, Ibeku Okwuato (Aboh Mbaise) could not get the desired goal that could have seen them qualify from the group. Despite not losing a game, they finished third in the group because of their inferior number of goals. They scored one and conceded one.
Ihiagwa Ward (Owerri West) topped the group with two points and superior number of goals scored while Lude Community (Ahiazu Mbaise) finished second also with two points. Their two goals scored in the group stage was their saviour.
The group stage of the Ikukuoma Mbaise Owerri Zone U-20 Football Tournament will end on Sunday at the Central School Field Ezeagbogu Ezinihitte Mbaise with the blockbuster fixture between Okpofe Ezeagbogu (Ezinihitte Mbaise) and Umuoree Eziudo. It is the second time both teams will be meeting after the organisers cancelled the result of the first game played on January 31st because Okpofe Ezeagbogu that won the tie 1-0 allegedly played the game with some ineligible players.
The second game of the day is a dead rubber fixture between Nnarambia Ward (Ahiazu Mbaise) and Eziudo (Ezinihitte Mbaise). Both teams have qualified from Group H having beaten Nguru Nweke (Aboh Mbaise) but the fixture must go ahead to determine the first and second in the group. Eziudo currently tops the group on goals difference.
The 14 teams that are through to Round of 16 are:
*Ere Na Biringwe (Owerri West),
*Obizi Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise),
*Irette Ward 10 (Owerri West),
*Emii Community (Owerri North),
*Ihitte Ward (Ezinihitte Mbaise),
*Ogwa Community (Mbaitoli)
*Ihiagwa Ward (Owerri West)
*Lude Community (Ahiazu Mbaise)
*Aguneze (Ahiazu Mbaise)
*Onicha Nwenkwo (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
*Uvuru Community (Aboh Mbaise)
*Obokwu Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
*Nnarambia (Ahiazu Mbaise)
*Eziudo Ward (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
The Ikukuoma Mbaise Owerri Zone U-20 Football Tournament is packaged and sponsored by High Chief Summers Nwokie whose love for football is second to none. He has sponsored it to ensure that Owerri youths channel their energies towards something positive and see if they can make a career out of football.
Ikukuoma Mbaise Owerri Zone U-20 Football Tournament Results and Fixtures
28-1-2024 Ere Na Ebirigwe (Owerri West) 0-1 Ogbe Community (Ahiazu Mbaise)
30-1-2024 Mbieri (Mbaitoli) 0-1 Irette Ward 6 ( Owerri West)
Ihitte Ward (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 1-1 Ogwa Community (Mbaitoli)
31-1-2024 Okpofe/ Ezeagbogu (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 1-0 Umuoree Eziudo (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
Ihiagwa Ward 10 (Owerri West) 1-1 Ibeku Ward (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
01-02-2024 Aguneze Community (Ahiazu Mbaise) 2-0 Onicha Nwankwo (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
Obokwu Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 2-2 Oru Community (Ahiazu Mbaise)
02-02-2024 Nguru Nweke (Ahiazu Mbaise) 0-1 Nnarambia Ward (Ahiazu Mbaise)
Ere Na Ebirigwe ( Owerri West) 1-0 Obizi Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
03-02-2024 Ihitte Ward (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 1-0 Mpam Ekwereazu (Ahiazu Mbaise).
Mbieri (Mbaitoli) 0-3 Emii (Owerri North) Walkover
04-02-2024 Ihiagwa (Owerri West) 2-2 Lude Community (Ahiazu Mbaise)
Okpofe Ezeagbogu (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 0-1 Amumara Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
06-02-2024 Obokwu Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 1-1 Uvuru (Aboh Mbaise)
Aguneze Community (Ahiazu Mbaise) 0-0 Umuhu Okwuato (Aboh Mbaise)
07-02-2024 Ogbe (Ahiazu Mbaise) 0-3 Obizi Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
Nguru Nweke (Aboh Mbaise) 0-2 Eziudo (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
08-02-2024 Irette (Owerri West) 1-0 Emii (Owerri North)
Ogwa (Mbaitoli) 0-0 Mpam Ekwereazu (Ahiazu Mbaise)
09-02-2024 Umuoree Eziudo (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 1-0 Amumara Community (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
Ibeku Okwuato (Aboh Mbaise) 0-0 Lude Community ( Ahiazu Mbaise)
10-02-2024 Onicha Nwankwo (Ezinihitte Mbaise) 1-0 Umuhu Okwuato (Aboh Mbaise
Oru Community (Ahiazu Mbaise) 1-3 Uvuru (Aboh Mbaise)
11-02-2024 Nnarambia Ward (Ahiazu) vs Eziudo
Okpofe/Ezeagbogu Ward (Ezinihitte Mbaise) vs Umuoree Eziudo (Ezinihitte Mbaise)
