CBN lifts financial institutions soccer cup

The CBN Football Club on Saturday beat their Union Bank counterpart 2-0 to emerge the winner of the 2013 edition of the annual All Financial Institutions Football Competition.

The match, which took place at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, was played under the watchful eyes of dignitaries including the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, represented by the bank’s Director of Communication, Mr Ugochukwu Okoroafor.

Other dignitaries include the former Captain of Super Eagles, Kanu Nwakwo and other top officials of the bank.

The defending champions, Union Bank FC, gave a good account of their capability and were believed to be gaining the upper hand until one of their defenders handled the ball during a goalmouth scramble.

The resultant spot kick taken by Adama Samuel gave the CBN a lead in the 31^st minute of the game.

The Union Bank players thereafter came out strong looking for equaliser but the CBN FC proved a nut too hard to crack and went ahead to score the second goal in the 44^th minute via a header from Ibrahim Akide.

The second half was a ding dong affair as it produced no goal.

The epic final had earlier been preceded by the third place match between First Bank FC and Badawa MFB FC of Jos with First Bank FC claiming victory by a lone goal.

Players and officials were later decorated with medals by the duo of the CBN governor through Okoroafor and Nwakwo.

Nwakwo later handed over the giant trophy and N2 million cash prize to the captain of the CBN Football Club.

Union Bank FC in addition to the silver medal received N1.5 million cash, while third place winner, First Bank FC received the bronze medal and N1 million cash.

Badawa MFB FC got N500,000 cash for its effort.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition, sponsored by the CBN, was organised in collaboration with NFF.

The CBN governor said that the annual sponsorship of the competition by the bank was part of its corporate social responsibility.

He said that the bank would continue to remain committed to the promotion and development of football in the country. (NAN)