From Suleiman Abubakar
Lafia Local Government football team emerged victorious in the opening match of the Nasarawa Governorship Football Competition, defeating Nassarawa-Eggon 1:0 on Tuesday at the Lafia City Stadium.
Mamuda Mohammed of Lafia FC netted the decisive goal in the 50th minute, sealing a hard-fought win despite sustained pressure from the Nassarawa-Eggon side.
Organized by the Nasarawa State Football Association in collaboration with the state government, the competition aims to promote grassroots football development. Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, commended the raw talent displayed by both teams and expressed optimism about discovering future stars for state, national, and international football.
"We will continue to invest in sports because it has become a significant business, and we want some of these players to represent our state, national teams, and even foreign clubs," Governor Sule stated.
The governor further highlighted his administration's commitment to upgrading sports infrastructure, announcing plans to enhance facilities at the Lafia Township Stadium and build three additional mini-stadiums across the state.
Sule emphasized that the state government will collaborate with the Football Association to ensure professional coaches attend the finals to scout and nurture exceptional players for further development.
Nasarawa State FA Chairman, Salisu Galadima, also praised the cooperation between the competing teams, noting the smooth progression of the competition thus far.
