Nkawkaw Methodist School team
The Nestlé Milo U13 Champions League final round of regional activities were held over the week for zone 4.
It was the turn of Great Accra, Eastern, Volta and the Oti Regions to have their crack at the competition and have representatives for the National finals to be held at the Paa Joe Park in Kumasi.
With the national defending champions coming from this zone, it was always going to be a mouthwatering zonal competition - Redeem D/A Primary from the Oti Region won the national championship in 2018.
Participating Schools included;
Greater Accra
Prampram Presby
Amasaman M/A
Ashiaman No4
Akweiman D/A
Atiwoto M/A
Volta Region
Agovie L/A
Mafi Zongo E.P
Wusuta L/A
Avatime Biakpe R/C
Oti Region
Krasec L/A Basic
Redeem D/A Primary
Eastern Region
Nkawkaw Methodist
Coral Gray International
Asrebuso D/A Primary
Nkawkaw St. Anthony
Apinamang Blessing Basic
It was the turn of the Technical Director of the Ghana Football Association, Coach Oti Akenteng, the former striker of the Black Stars, Augustine Arhinful and Assistant coach of the female U17 team, coach Baba Huhu Mallan to take the kids through the soccer clinic.
The soccer clinic is geared towards equipping and helping the kids through drills, dribbling, teamwork and agility test - with high expectations, the clinic commenced with over 600 non-participating schools in and around the Kpando community.
The 16 participating schools were taken through validity checks by the director of PE of the Ghana Education Service, Mr. Emmanuel Dormenya on the eve before the championship kicked off.
The regional groupings were done with two fields required for the first day’s activities. Kpando Technical and Bishop Herman College were respectively used for the competition.
Nkawkaw Methodist from the Eastern Region, Akweiman D/A from the Greater Accra, Wusuta D/A from the Volta Region and Krasec L/A Primary from the newly created Oti Region completed the top four teams for the semis - all four automatically make it to the finals of the national championship to be held in Kumasi.
A zonal champion had to be determined and after the draws; it was Nkawkaw Methodist against Krasec L/A while Akweiman D/A were scheduled to face Wusuta L/A Primary from the Volta Region.
It took shootouts to determine the winner in the first semis between Nkawkaw Methodist Primary and Krasec L/A, it was a masterpiece of a game between the two sides as they both had a go at each other before the final whistle.
Nkawkaw Methodist won the shootout 5-4 after the game ended goalless in regulation time.
Akweiman D/A and Wusuta L/A took the centre stage for the second semifinal game, the Greater Accra side were too strong for their Voltarians on the day.
Akweiman D/A brushed aside Wusuta - the game ended 3-0 to play in the Zonal finals against the Eastern Regional Champions, Nkawkaw Methodist.
Rain almost ruined the grand finale as it poured down heavily after the presentation of jerseys but this didn’t stop the game from coming off as planned. It only delayed play.
BIHECO pitch became too soggy for the finals after the rains, therefore, the KPANTEC pitch was to host the finals. It wasn’t as expected but not short of gilts and excitement; both teams played their hearts out despite the cold nature of the weather and watery pitch.
Goals in both halves from Jonathan Edwards and Nelson Twum, the captain for Nkawkaw Methodist secured the Eastern Regional champions the zonal title.
AWARDS:
Fair Play - Redeem Primary School
Best Goalkeeper -Francis Asamoah - Nkawkaw Methodist
Best Player - Jonathan Edwards- Nkawkaw Methodist
Top Scorer - Ibrahim Rashid - Krasec D/A
All is now set for the National Finals of the Milo Under 13 Champions League to be staged at the Paa Joe Park in Kumasi.
Zone 1
Karni primary School, Kaladan primary School, Tanga primary School, WaleWale primary School, Iddrisyya primary School
Zone 2
St. Joseph International, Amoawi Methodist Primary, Boda R/C Primary
Babato Kuma Primary
Zone 3
Talent Bridge Academy
Myohuang Forces
Juaboso D/A Primary
Zone 4
Nkawkaw Methodist Primary
Akweiman D/A Primary
Krasec L/A Primary
Wusuta L/A Primary
The National Finals of the Milo Champions League will come off from 2nd to 6th July 2019 at Paa Joe Park, KNUST - Kumasi.
