BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
It was a sad day for the teeming fans of 36 Lion Football Club of Lagos after their darling team lost 4-5 on penalty shootouts to SGH Athletics FC from Kwara in the final of the Jagaban Cup which was held on Thursday morning at the FIFA legacy pitch of national stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
36 Lion started the final game on a good note.They were in control of the game but lacked of finishing and inability to take their scoring chances cost them shocking defeat.
The Kwara boys who came to Lagos also played purposeful football and their game plans against 36 Lion worked for them by absorbing pressure and denied their opponents from scoring during the encounter.
Having played a barren draw at the regulation time, 36 Lion lost their first penalty kick while their opponents scored all their penalties to emerge as champions of the tournament.
Reacting to the victory, General Manager of SGH Athletics, Olawale Olatoye expressed gratitude to God for the hard fought victory attributed their sucesss as a result of hardworking, dedication and commitment of the players throughout the four days scouting football tournament.
“Of course nobody gave us chance at the beginning but let me say that we prepared well for this scouting programme.We initially played in Evolution Cup in Abuja some weeks ago and the players who played below expectations were replaced by new players.
“The new players quickly fit into the club philosophy and our game plans which we executed in Jagaban Cup.Let me also say this that we are the only team in this tournament that won all our group matches and I think our victory against 36 Lion today was well deserved,”he said.
