In a bid to breath life into the social lives of its staff, and create opportunities for bonding and harmony among them, BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay, Nigeria’s leading financial and business newspaper, organised its first ever soccer event titled: “The Brook 5-Aside Soccer Tourney” which took place Saturday, 20th September, at the mini stadium, Ibiere Crescent, Apapa, Lagos.
The event witnessed four teams that include Brook Bombers, Brook Shooters, Brook Liners and Brook Siders compete for the trophy while the female competition had Brook Babes and Brook Angels.
Frank Aigbogun, publisher and CEO of BusinessDay Media Limited, dressed in cute sports outfit and Phillip Isakpa, editor and executive director, BusinessDay, were there to grace the occasion.
BusinessDay staff came out en-mass to cheer their teams despite the heavy downpour.
In the first game played under the heavy rain, Brook Siders, captained by Chidi Lemchi outran Kola Garuba’s team, Brook Liners 2-0 in a thrilling spectacle.
The second game was between highly rated Brook Bombers against the energetic Brook Shooters. The keenly contested match ended in a penalty shootout after a tension soaked full time action ended a 1-1 draw.
Ighure Oghenevwoke, captain of Brook Bombers, led his side to a 3-2 victory in a penalty shootout to send out Amadi Iheukwumere’s Brook Shooters, who were left to fight for the third place.
Ruthless Brook Shooters shot down the Brook Liners 4-1 in an emphatic and free goal-scoring thriller to claim the bronze.
Then came the final match of the day when the Brook Bombers tried all they could to blow the Brook Siders out of the waters. The game saw Charlse Ikeh-Okoh, editor, BusinessDay Sunday, who played for the Brook Bombers, thrill the spectators with his lively display of skills.
Also, Oghenevwoke made several magical runs to win his side the match but they were was not enough to win the trophy as the solid and compact Brook Siders took the day in a narrow 2-1 win to emerge as the first champion of the tournament.
The side attraction of the event was the female final game between Brook Angels and the rugged Brook Babes tutored by Ijeoma Ude, deputy advert manager, ak.a the ‘Iron Lady’.
The tension soaked cracker saw the Brook Babes win the trophy for the female competition by a penalty shootout, after the match had deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of regulation time.
Apart from the team trophies, individual awards and cash prices were handed out to the best male and female players as well as the highest goal scorers in both categories.
@AnthonyNlebem
Anthony. I Nlebem
