2023 BOWFT:Edo Queens Pip Bayelsa Queens To Emerge Champions

By Sedara Philip

Resilient Edo Queens football club of Benin after on Wednesday evening emerged champions of the 3rd edition of Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament after beating maiden edition winners, Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa 4-3 in penalty shootouts after playing 1-1 in regulation time.

The Godwin Obaseki ladies controlled the game from the blast of the whistle with a series of chances created but couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. Bayelsa Queens got a free kick from a counter-attack and the resulting corner kick from the free kick fell to the path of Blessing Abiola whose outside box’s low shot was too hot for Edo Queens’ goalkeeper, Inyene Etim to grab as the Prosperity Girls took the lead.

Edo Queens kept toiling with incessant attacks against the hard fighting ladies from the rich Oil State, but the front line lacked the cutting edge to put the ball past goalkeeper Okeke Onye.

Just four minutes to end first half, Eunice Godwin looped the goalkeeper who had been on top of her game all day as she became motionless to stop the ball from finding the back of the net the entire Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium roar as fans went into jubilation celebrating the equalizer.

The second half saw various Chances fluffed off by both sides, Edo Queens most especially as they couldn’t get the winning goal they so much sort to the frustration of their coach, Moses Aduku.

Just a few seconds to end the game, Edo Queens got a penalty after a Bayelsa Queens defender handled the ball in the box the centre referee pointed to the spot to the celebration of Edo Queens’ supporters as nature would have it, Suliat Abideen, who was unarguably the most valuable player of the tournament hit the edge of the crossbar and upright to the disappointment of everyone. For some minutes the Stadium was like a grave yard as people were already prepared to jump into the field for last minute goal celebration.

The game went into the kicks from the penalty mark and it was Edo Queens who missed first Bayelsa Queens went on to score their first two until they missed the third to give Edo Queens the leveller. Edo Queens went ahead 4-3, but Bayelsa Queens lost the last kick to throw the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium crowd into wild jubilation.

Recall that Edo Queens had come second behind FC Robo Queens who won the second edition, they came third in the first edition, but now, they can smile at the bank as they have become Seven Million Naira richer.