As part of preparation for the 2025 Dana World Youth Tournament in Denmark, MOP Stars FC Academy, a team representing Nigeria at the competition, has shown brilliance and resilience against EFCC FC in a buildup match in Abuja.
The young MOP Stars team shocked fans and football enthusiasts with their brave and skillful performance against a more experienced and supposed stronger EFCC side, as both teams trade tackles on Thursday at the Tuff Arena, Area 3 Mini Stadium.
Although EFCC went home with a 1-0 narrow win, the match was described by supporters of both teams as a fierce battle until the loan goal came in the 87 minutes, demonstrating the readiness of the nascent MOP Stars FC to show a good representation at the Dana competition.
In an interview with newsmen on the sideline, former FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu Tijani,who declared the match open, commended the youngsters and urged them to remain focus as they pursue their football career.
She lauded the leadership of MOP Stars FC Academy for discovering and nurturing such passionate talents within a short time.
“I’m very impressed in the sense that the spirit of catch-them-young is in place here, and so far so good they have not lost any match, for a team that is barely five months old, and so to me, this is also a win.
“To play an experienced team like the EFCC is no joke; To hold them up to 90 minutes and give them extra time before they could score. So I give the match to the younger players, because they did very well.
“We understand this match is part of their preparation for the 2025 Dana World Youth Tournament coming up in Denmark later in the year. so I expect more support and collaboration from sport agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, to see that these young ones are encouraged,” She said.
Tijani added that I want more of these matches to build them up, to get them stronger, but I will also make an appeal to governmental agencies to support young teams like this.”
Also, the president of MOP Stars FC Academy, Dr Suleiman Adejoh, lauded the courage and fighting spirits of the lads, adding that “We are preparing them for the Dana tournament where 50 nations of the world are coming to play these young lads, so we are camping for two months before we leave for the tournament.”
“As we progress in our preparations , our boys have recorded outstanding wins in our recent matches, including a 4-2 win over FC Gwagwalada and a 3-1 over One World FC
“The process has been very okay, and we are working on the boys and by God’s grace in April we will be together for about two months to perfect our training,” he said.
