Draws being made for the Extra Joss Football Championship
Yobo FC will Saturday square up against Jobi FC in an exhibition match to declare open the first edition of Extra Joss Football competition at the Legacy pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The day will start at 12 pm with a match past by all the participating teams colourfully dressed, while a disc jockey will be on standby to entertain fans before Yobo and Jobi FC take to the field.
Thirty-two teams drawn from the five divisional football associations in Lagos State will be taking part in the maiden edition of Extra Joss Football Championship will kicks off this Saturday at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The inter-local council’s tournament is being organised by Ministry of Sports in collaboration with Kalbe International and Orange Drugs Limited.
At the draws held on Wednesday, the teams have been divided into eight groups with four teams in each group.
According to the coordinator of the tournament, Uthman Okunnu, the top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage while awards like MVP, highest goal scorer among others would be up for grab during the tournament.
For Lagos State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Oshodi, the state would remain grateful to the companies for partnering the state in its quest to develop grassroots sports.
“This is another chance for us to work at grassroots level especially to help us unearth talents at local councils and schools. They did it with table tennis with the Procold championship and with the Extra Joss tournament, we believe more talents will emerge for the state and the country at large. At this year of the National Sports Festival that the state is hosting and with lot of funding needed, the Extra Joss competition has also complimented our efforts in the state,” Oshodi said.
For the Country Manager of Kalbe International, Didik Novandi, as socially responsible organisation, the company would continue youth development through sports.
“Nigeria is a nation blessed with lots of potential especially in sports and sometimes I wonder why the country is not ruling the continent and we hope with the staging of the Extra Joss championship, we will help to discover more talents that will grow up to become stars for the country,” Novandi said.
The teams are drawn from Ikeja, Epe, Ikorodu, Badagry and Lagos while Team Lagos will also be part of the tournament with final holding on October 27.