Urhobo College from Uvwie has been crowned champions of the Zenith Bank Delta Principals Cup after defeating Ogbe Ijoh Grammar School of Warri South West 2 1 in a thrilling final held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.
The keenly contested match saw Urhobo College take control early in the game to secure the prestigious trophy.
The champions got off to a flying start by scoring within the first minute of kickoff and later doubled their lead in the 30th minute. Ogbe Ijoh Grammar School fought back and reduced the deficit in the second half but could not overturn the result despite mounting pressure in the closing stages of the game.
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented at the event by his Deputy John Onyeme, commended all participating schools for their efforts and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. He said “All the schools that took part in this edition are champions and have shown great talent and discipline.”
The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, praised the success of the tournament, stating that the Principals Cup continues to strengthen Delta State’s dominance in grassroots football across the country. He expressed optimism that more young talents would emerge from future editions.
Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Dr Adaora Umeoji, represented by the Zonal Head Dr Ifeanyi Atamah, said the bank was delighted to contribute to youth development through sports. She noted that the competition has produced players who later became professionals and added that the bank would continue to support grassroots sports projects.
As champions, Urhobo College received an 18 seater hummer bus and a cash prize of N2 million, while Ogbe Ijoh Grammar School took home N1.5 million for finishing second. The teams that placed third and fourth were rewarded with N1 million and N500000 respectively for their impressive performances.
