The long awaited divisional pre-season Invitational Championship of the Upper East Region finally came to an end with Soccer Masters lifting the trophy home while Zorkor United SC secured the first runner-up position after beating Bolga All Stars by three goals to one.
The final game of the tournament was between Zorkor United and Bolga All Stars on 26th April, 2021 at the Bolga sports stadium where the former beat the latter by three goals to one.
This tournament has been described as one of the most interesting tournaments in the region due to the massive turnouts of supporters, the powerful goals scored by players, the enthusiasm exhibited by the various coaches and the ALL PLAY ALL method used by the organisers to engage the top four teams that qualified from the group stage.
The tournament started on the 27th of February 2021 with the opening matches between Bolga FC and Soccer Masters where the former beat the latter by a lone goal at the Ramzie sports stadium while Naira FC also played with Yorigo Young Stars and beat them with 2 goals to 1 at Zamstech School pack, all under group A one the same day, at the same time.
Then Zorkor united also played against Ashford and beat them with 3 goals to 1 at Zorkor SHS park while Bolga All Stars also played with Sirigu Super Stars and also beat them with 4 goals to1 at Bolga Sports Stadium all under group B on the same day, at the same time.
Eight (8) teams participated in the tournament playing under two groups with four matches played in every week only on weekends with two matches played at the same time each day over a period of six (6) weeks.
The top four teams namely: Zorkor United, Bolga All Stars, Soccer Masters and Nara FC were made to play in the ALL PLAY ALL method where the winner is determined based points and goals.
The tournament ended yesterday with Soccer Masters taking the trophy with six (6) goals, five (5) points followed by Zorkor as the runner-up with five (5) goals, five (5) points.
Though the points were the same, Soccer Masters had more goals than Zorkor did.
Speaking to the Senior Coach for Zorkor United SC, Adams Bushira the only female Senior coach in the region, she expressed her heart felt gratitude and her unending joy over the performance of her boys throughout the period of the tournament saying they have performed to her satisfaction.
According to her, Zorkor United SC is still a division 3 team yet the winning spirit makes them beat division 2 teams to get to the second position and for this, the players should be congratulated for such outstanding performances.
She also advised the players not to let their guards down as their competitors will try as much as possible to overtake them, but they should train more as they await the main tournament.
To her supporters, Miss Bushira could not hide her happiness for the love that they have shown the team from the very beginning of the tournament to its ending and all other matches as well as past tournaments.
She thanked them and appealed that they should always make time to support them the same way they have been doing so that the players would always have the confidence to perform better.
Break Down Matches between Top Four Teams
1st match: Soccer Masters VS Zorkor United SC, (Soccer Masters 2 goals, Zorkor United 2 goals = 1 point, two goals each).
2nd match: Nara Fc VS Bolga All Stars (Nara FC 4 goals, Bolga All Stars 1 goal = 3 points, 4 goals, with 1 goal against for Nara FC and 0 points, 1 goal and 3 goals against for Bolga All Stars)
3rd match: Naira FC VS Zorkor United SC (goalless, Nara FC 4points, 4goals with 1 goal against, Zorkor 2ponts, 2goals with 2goals against)
4th match: Soccer Masters VS Bolga All Stars( Soccer Masters 1 goal, Bolga All Stars 1 goal, Soccer Masters 2 points 3goals with 2 goals against, Bolga All Stars 1point, 2 goals with 3goals against)
5th match: Soccer Masters Nara FC VS Naira FC (Soccer Masters 3 Nara FC 1 = Soccer Masters, 5points, 6goals with 4 goals against, Nara FC 4points, 5 goals with 4goals against)
6th match: Zorkor United SC VS Bolga All Stars (Zorkor United 3goals, Bolga All Stars 1 goal = Zorkor United 5 points, 5goals with three goals against.)
