Methodist Football Club of Television, Kaduna, emerged champions of the inaugural YUSDA Football Champions League after defeating AG Barde FC of Sabon Tasha 3-2 on penalties in a thrilling final played at the Unguwar Maichibi Primary School football field.
The keenly contested encounter ended goalless after regulation time, with both sides failing to break the deadlock despite several scoring opportunities. With no winner after 90 minutes, the referee ordered a penalty shootout to determine the champions.
Methodist FC’s goalkeeper proved to be the hero of the day, producing a remarkable performance by saving three of AG Barde’s five penalty kicks to secure a 3-2 shootout victory for his team and hand them the title in the competition’s maiden edition.
Speaking after the final, the Special Guest of Honour and All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, Comrade Shehu Sani, commended the organisers and sponsors for successfully staging the tournament.
He described the competition as a laudable initiative aimed at promoting grassroots football and youth development, urging individuals, corporate organisations, and public-spirited Nigerians to emulate these efforts to support sports development.
“The tournament has provided a platform for young talents to showcase their abilities and has demonstrated the power of sports in fostering unity and community engagement,” he said.
The sponsor of the competition, Engr. Yusuf Nyam expressed satisfaction with the tournament’s success and pledged to make future editions bigger and better.
According to him, the positive response from participating teams, supporters and stakeholders has reinforced the need to sustain and expand the competition in subsequent years.
The final attracted several dignitaries, including representatives of the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, represented by Bashir Nababa, the Ndi Igbo of Chikun Local Government Area, and other prominent personalities from across the state.
For their triumph, Methodist FC received a giant trophy, gold medals and a cash prize of ₦500,000, while runners-up AG Barde FC went home with a trophy, silver medals and ₦300,000.
Individual honours were also presented to outstanding performers during the tournament, including awards for the Most Valuable Player, Best Goalkeeper, and Top Goalscorer.
The successful conclusion of the maiden YUSDA Football Champions League has been widely hailed as a significant boost for grassroots football development in Kaduna State, with organisers and stakeholders expressing optimism that the competition will continue to grow in stature and impact in the years ahead.
