23rd June, 2017
Progressive Comprehensive High School of Osogbo on Friday won the 2017 edition of the prestigious Copa Coca-Cola football competition at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team, which represented Osun, defeated Owerri City College 1-0.
Akinlabi Adewale, who scored the only goal in the final match, later told NAN that he was motivated into playing the game because football remains his only consolation from poverty.
Presenting the winners of the 2018 #CopaCocaColaNG tournament, Progress Comprehensive High School, Osun State! pic.twitter.com/JVzXNwq5Ca
— Goal.com Nigeria (@GoalcomNigeria) June 23, 2017
“I’m happy God did this for me. I was mocked by some of my friends whenever I go out to train, but God has crowned my efforts with success.
“I will play football professionally. Coca-Cola has lifted my spirit and I will keep pushing to be the best.
“I’m grateful to this brand (the competition’s sponsors). I have never been to Lagos before and this has given me the opportunity to have new friends,’’ he said.
NAN reports that thousands of schools registered for the tournament and competed from the regional to the state level, and finally to the national level of the competition.
The captain of the winning team, Damilare Adedeji, also told NAN that his team won because of their determination.
READ: Record Breaker! Sanchez becomes Chile highest goal scorer
“We are coming here for the first time. We have never made it this far. I’m grateful.
“We are determined to succeed, and that gave us this victory,’’ he said.
Also, Ababu Chukwuyere of the Owerri City College team, who cried uncontrollably, told NAN that it was painful to lose in the final.
“Maybe if we didn’t get to the finals, this pain will be less. But it hurts badly, we were just unlucky,’’ he said.
NAN reports that Asegun Comprehensive High School of Oyo State had won the 2016 edition of the competition.