Kotoko, Espanyol and two others to face off in Lagos Football tourney Champion club Kumasi Asante Kotoko are set to confirm participating in the maiden Lagos International Football Tournament slated to commence on July 25 in Nigeria. The Lagos International Football Tournament (LIFT) is a four-team tournament which would involve Spanish side RCD Espanyol, Nigeria’s Kano Pillars, Ismaily Club of Egypt and the Ghanaian champions. The four-team invitational gala is an initiative of former Nigeria International Mutiu Adepoju (nicknamed ‘The Headmaster’) and is slated for July 25-28 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos. “We have received the invitation and would be making a decision on it when the Executive Chairman, (Dr. KK Sarpong) returns from London today. We are aware we have to respond to the invitation within a week,” Nana Kwame Dankwa told footy-Ghana exclusively. Meanwhile, Spanish side Espanyol have already confirmed its participation and the club have announced it is set to launch its youth team in Nigeria. 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Adepoju explains “our intention was to organise an international competition that would serve as a pre-season training for the clubs that would be involved. When we fixed the date, we felt all the clubs would be preparing for next season but unfortunately the Nigerian league didn’t start on time.” “Nevertheless, the games would be played on FIFA free days, so there won’t be matches here in Nigeria during the period of the competition.” “I feel it is important to give back to the society, and one way of giving back is through LIFT, an annual soccer fiesta which would help to re-position the game of soccer not only in Nigeria in particular, but Africa in general,” he said.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 10:15:56 +0000
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