Sheu Close claimed the Season Two title at the First Bank Lagos Street Soccer Stars after defeating Amusa Street 2-0 in Saturday’s final at Oloyede Street, Oshodi.
Sheu Close complete title-winning campaign
The tournament began with 64 teams and ran for 14 days, with the concluding fixtures staged in Oshodi. The third-place play-off preceded the final, where Sheu Close produced a composed display to secure the championship.
- Sheu Close defeated Amusa Street 2-0 in the final.
- Oremeji Street took third place by overpowering Salawu Street 6-1.
- Babayanju Street recorded the competition’s largest victory, beating Oluwani Street 7-1 to book a quarter-final place.
Staged under the theme “Oshodi Hidden Talents”, the event involved 640 players representing communities from across Lagos State.
Talent development and Odega’s individual honour
First Bank funded the competition through its First@Sports initiative, which focuses on youth development, healthy lifestyles and stronger community involvement. The organisers also used the tournament to identify emerging footballers and provide young people in Lagos with an opportunity to earn income.
Ezekiel Odega was selected as the Man of the Match after playing a major role in Oremeji Street’s third-place success. His performance featured commitment, assured control of the ball and effective cooperation with his teammates.
After collecting the award, Odega expressed his gratitude to God and said he was pleased with the personal recognition.
His main ambition had been to guide Oremeji Street into the final, however, and he admitted that missing out on that objective was disappointing. Despite the setback, he said the squad stayed focused and characterised the third-place contest as a demanding encounter.
Football used to engage young people
Adebanji Atewogboye, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Grassroots Sports Development, said the competition was intended to occupy young people during the lengthy holiday period. He explained that football would bring them together and keep them engaged for the following two weeks.
He added that the programme aimed to steer youths away from criminal activity, harmful social behaviour and drug abuse. The tournament was also designed to connect promising players with football academies and professional clubs, creating routes towards further opportunities in the sport.
FirstBank Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications Olayinka Ijabiyi said the bank supported the event because of its commitment to people, communities and preparing for the future.
Ijabiyi said grassroots football was the starting point for talent, discipline and ambition. Through the FirstBank Lagos Soccer Stars competition, he added, the bank was placing Lagos-based talent before a wider audience and providing a structure in which players could improve and pursue their goals.
He further explained that the sponsorship formed part of First@Sports, the bank’s platform for supporting the wider sports ecosystem.
Prize money and final-day guests
Sheu Close received the top prize of N1 million for winning the tournament. Amusa Street collected N750,000 as runners-up, while Oremeji Street earned N500,000 for finishing third. Those payments came from a total prize fund of N3.5 million.
- The Golden Boot winner received N100,000.
- The Most Valuable Player collected N100,000.
- The Young Player award carried a prize of N100,000.
- The Best Street Team, Fair Play Team, Community Spirit and Goal of the Tournament winners each received N100,000.
The organisers also disclosed that the standout player in every match was given N10,000 along with formal recognition, a measure introduced to reward strong performances throughout the competition.
Nollywood actress Foluke Daramola brought additional glamour to the closing event. Guests on the final day included Adebanji Adeoye Atewogboye, the Lagos State Governor’s Senior Special Adviser on Grassroots Sports Development, Lagos State Commissioner for Housing Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, senior officials from Lagos’s 57 local councils and representatives of First Bank.
