The Imo state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Dan Chike Ogu has urged participating teams to play by the rules and ensure fair play takes precedence in all their action after he performed the ceremonial kick off of the 3rd edition of the Ifeanyi Ekwueme Tico/Select Pre-season Tournament at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri on Tuesday.
10 teams from various parts of Nigeria have converged in Imo and Enugu states to compete for the holy grail of the foremost pre-season tournament in Nigeria to the delight of the Imo Sports Commissioner.
Heartland FC , Rivers United, Enugu Rangers, Abia Warriors, Kwara United, Lamray United, Cynosure Fc, First Mahi Fc, Apex Krane Fc, and Enugu Selected are competing for the topmost honour as they also prepare for the 2021/2022 season.
Ogu commended ex-Super Eagles player, Ifeanyi Ekwueme for organizing the prestigious pre-season tournament that in its third edition attracting galaxy of football stars and big names in the football world across the country.
He also praised Governor Hope Uzodinma’s shared prosperity government’s policy of giving enabling environment to sports and other business endeavours to thrive in Imo state. He urged the organizers and participating teams to continue to promote unity, peace and fair play.
The Sports Commissioner watched with delight and cheers as Heartland FC beat Rivers United that’s participating in the CAF Confederation Cup by two goals to nothing in the first game at the Owerri center.
Ekwueme, the organizer of the tournament thanked the Sports Commissioner for making it easy for him to be able to host the tournament in Imo state for the first time as fans came out en masse from various states to cheer and support their darling teams.
The first game of the preseason tournament at the Enugu center saw Enugu Rangers share the spoils of war in a 1-1 draw with less fancied Lamray United.
