It was with pomp and pageantry that the annual Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament began in Benin City, the Edo State capital, with Edo Queens Football Club taking their opponent from Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja, Naija Ratels FC, to the cleaners in a three-goal thriller.
Edo Queens scored the opening goal in the third edition of the annual women’s soccer fiesta (BOWFT), which has a prize tag of N60m, about 60,000 US dollars, for the winners.
Edo Queens hammered Naija Ratels of Abuja City 3-0 in the first match of the pre-season competition, with Chioma Olise, Emem Essien, and Suliat Abideen on the scoresheet for the Bendel Queens.
The match was dominated by the Edo Queens, who displayed confidence by telling their opponents that things would not be as usual. Edo Queens have assured their thronging Benin City supporters of victory in their upcoming game after earning three points in their opening contest.
Four sporting venues in the state, including the magnificent Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the University of Benin Sports Complex, the Western Boys Mini-Stadium, and the Edo State College of Nursing and Health Sciences Mini-Stadium, are hosting the tournament, which features thirteen (13) teams from the Nigerian Women’s Football League (NWFL) competing for the N60 million in total prize money.
The Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament (BOWFT) is the only preseason women’s tournament in Africa recognized by the world football governing body, FIFA.
The tournament, which is being supported by multi-choice (African leading cable TV), Truth Live Media Communication, publishers of Truth Live News and Big Joe, is one of the numerous pet projects of the First Lady of Edo State, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, in her quest to support and empower women and girls.
Truth Live News will provide daily reports of every match as the tournament progresses.