Katsina Crush Sokoto to Retain Moses Andishu U-18 Trophy
Katsina State successfully defended the Moses Andishu Under-18 Boys Football Tournament title after cruising to a 4-1 victory over Sokoto State in a one-sided final at the Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna on Tuesday.
The defending champions underlined their superiority with another commanding performance to retain the trophy they won at the inaugural edition last year.
Katsina entered the final as the only unbeaten team remaining in the competition and lived up to that billing. They had already defeated Sokoto 3-0 during the group stage and once again proved too strong for their opponents when the title was at stake.
The champions began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Kaduna B before finding their rhythm. They swept aside Sokoto 3-0 and defeated Jigawa 2-0 to finish top of Group B with seven points, six goals scored and only one conceded.
Their consistency continued in the knockout stage, where they edged hosts Kaduna A 1-0 in the semi-final before putting four goals past Sokoto in the final.
The 4-1 victory meant Katsina completed the tournament unbeaten, winning four of their five matches and scoring 11 goals.
Sokoto can also look back on an impressive recovery after a difficult start. They drew 1-1 with Jigawa and suffered a 3-0 loss to Katsina before a crucial 1-0 victory over Kaduna B secured their semi-final place.
They then produced one of the tournament’s standout results by beating Group A winners Kebbi 2-0 in the semi-final. However, Katsina again proved a hurdle too high in the final.
Earlier, hosts Kaduna A claimed the bronze medal after defeating Kebbi 5-4 on penalties in the third-place playoff following a goalless result at full time.
Kaduna had also enjoyed an impressive tournament, finishing the group stage unbeaten after victories over Zamfara and Kano and a draw against Kebbi. Their only defeat in regulation time came against eventual champions Katsina in the semi-final.
Katsina’s successful title defence brought the second edition of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) North West Zone competition to a close, with their dominant final performance confirming them as deserving champions.
Katsina State also swept the individual awards with their players emerging as the Highest Scorer and the Most Valuable Player of the competition while the State also scooped the Coach.pf the Competition award because of their outstanding performances.
