Gidado Football Club of Agege in Lagos State have emerged as the winners of the 2024/25 Elephant/RIA Cup, a five-a-side grass-roots soccer tournament.

They defeated Pepe FC in the penalty shoot-out final match with a 4-1 scoreline, after a stalemated 1-1 in regulation time.

The match, held on Friday at the Ashade Ogba Palace playing ground in the Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State, saw Gidado FC claim the top prize of N500,000, while Pepe FC received N300,000 as the runner-up.

The Ologba of Ogba, Oba Egbeyemi Oladimeji, noted that the Elephant Club sports activities had been uniting the youth in the community for the past 25 years.

He expressed his gratitude to God for the success of the 2024/25 League and to the organisers of the tournament.

He stated, “I appreciate and thank all the teams that participated in the league from the beginning, for their sportsmanship and fair play attitude during the matches.’’

The traditional ruler also praised the fans and spectators for their peaceful conduct and coexistence during and after the matches.

A former Lagos State House of Assembly member, Yinka Ogundimu, commended the Elephant Club of Agege for their efforts in bringing together the youth through grass-roots football, which he said led to significant social and economic development in the community.

The Chairman of the Football Committee of the Elephant Club of Agege, Felix Ajanaku, thanked God for the success of the 2024/25 League and acknowledged the fans and supporters for maintaining peace throughout the matches.

The Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Samuel Opeyemi, attributed his team’s success to God, saying “though, it is not easy, God saw us through.”

He also expressed his gratitude to the sponsors, supporters, and organisers of the game for providing the opportunity for his team to showcase their talents.

The tournament, which featured 14 teams, was a success, with the final match ending in a thrilling penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw in the normal 20-20 minute match.

(NAN)