BY SAB OSUJI

St Nwadinso will clash with A&A Kiviasennus in Wednesday's grand finale of the inaugural edition of the Anambra NLO Clubs Pre Season Tournament, Exclusivenews.com.ng reports.

A&A emerged top on table with six points after the group games while St Nwadinso came second with same (six) points but with lesser goal difference after the round-robin games.

Both teams won two games and lost one each, to finish top and runners-up respectively on the standings.

On Sunday, what clearly appears as the classic fixture of the Pre Season between A&A Kiviasennus and St Nwadinso was blighted by acrimony and bitter rivalry, forcing intermittent stoppages by the referee and the FA Acting Secretary having to have words with both teams, the players and even the referee just to calm down fraying nerves.

It was no surprise that A&A refused to continue with the game during the closing stages after two of their players were sent off by the referee, reducing their numerical strenght to nine (9) men.

That was just moments after Tony Paul Mmaduabuchi had converted a penalty to give St Nwadinso a 2-1 lead after an A&A defender was adjudged to have handled the ball in his 18-yard box during a goal mouth scramble.

After Mmaduabuchi's well struck penalty, his third goal of the tournament, the arbiter flashed his red on two A&A players, an action that infuriated Coach Lotanna Jideofor, who promptly ordered his players not to continue with the game.

After waiting for the expiration of regulation time, the referee sounded his final whistle, thus, confirming St Nwadinso as 2-1 winners on the night.

A&A Kiviasennus went in front midway into the first period when Ugochukwu Nwosu disposessed a 'casual' St Nwadinso defender close to the edge of the box and raced towards goal. Once inside area, Ugochukwu saw the goalkeeper run out of his line and expertly slid the ball into the near post. A&A 1-0 and the entire Rojenny Stadium terraces came alive. It was Ugochukwu's fourth goal of the tournament.

But the ovation that greeted the goal had hardly died down when St Nwadinso drew back on level terms.

Just 39 seconds after restarting play following the goal they conceeded, St Nwadinso drew level, with Tony Paul Mmaduabuchi coming to the positive end of a sleek move from the middle and a low cross from the left. 1-1 and both teams went into the break on level terms.

On Wednesday, both teams will bring the Pre Season to a climax when they clash in the final of the tournament, designed to prepare the NLO teams from Anambra State for the National Play Offs scheduled for April ending in Owerri, Imo State.