BY SAB OSUJI

Chairman of Anambra State Beach Soccer Association, Professor Victor Madubuko, has spoken highly of his delight attracting the first Beach Soccer League Tournament in Anambra, Exclusivenews.com.ng reports.

Madubuko spoke on the sidelines of the 2024 Round Two Nigeria Beach Soccer League tournament which got underway at the Nnewi High School Beach Soccer Pitch.

This is even as hosts, Anambra Warriors and their Kebbi counterparts opened their campaigns on high with wins against their Match Day One foes.

The Anambra Beach Soccer team secured a deserved 3-2 win over Nmanko Patigi of Kwara state in their Match Day One clash of the Round Two of the National Beach Soccer League in, Nnewi, Anambra State.

Prior to that five-goal thriller, Kebbi United Beach Soccer club and Kebbi Fishers Beach Soccer Club also won their opening matches against Jigawa Golden and Kada Beach Soccer Clubs respectively. 

The Second Round of 2024 National Beach Soccer League, NBSL, kicked off Wednesday at the Nnewi High School Beach Soccer pitch, Nnewi Anambra.

In the first game, Kebbi United Beach Soccer Club saw off Jigawa Golden Stars Beach Soccer Club with an emphatic 6-4 thumping while Kebbi Fishers Beach Soccer Club overcame Kada Beach Soccer Club 7-5 in the second match of the day.

The match was spiced with the rich cultural dance displays to the admiration of players, officials and guests.

Different dance troupes entertained guests at every interval of the game, such that officials and guests could not hold back their excitement, standing up to dance to the lyrics and rhythms of the cultural musics.

Ugochukwu Uzodike, Chairman Nnewi Sports Club said the private intervention in sports was a good omen while thanking the Anambra State Beach Soccer Association for bringing the game to the state.

Uzodike said Nnewi Sports Club support the Association in popularising Beach Soccer in the State by constructing the second playing pitch in Anambra.

 Earlier, Chairman of Anambra State Beach Soccer Association, Prof. Victor Madubuko, said he was happy to have attracted the NBSL to Anambra within two years of the formation of the association.

Madubuko said Beach Soccer was a passion for him and that his major in the sport was to create an activity that would engage the youth and open doors of economic opportunity for them.

He said beach soccer was an interesting game and encouraged others to invest and make it popular in the Southeast.

“I am living the happiest day of my life for seeing this lifetime vision come to reality",Prof Madubuko said.

"The state government has promised to take the game to all the Local Government Areas. That is a very good commitment for us.

“They say we do not have a Beach but we have created a beach soccer pitch for ourselves. I thank our sponsors and encourage others to come and begin small,” he said.

On his part, Mahmud Hadija, President of African Beach Soccer Union and Coordinator of NBSL, commended Anambra for blazing the trail of the game in the South East.

Hadija said the Anambra Beach Soccer Association, a wholly private sector initiative, driven by Madubuko, has not only built one of the best beach soccer pitchs in Nigeria but has also put up an extremely interesting hosting.

"We are all excited because beach soccer has come to South East of Nigeria, particularly Nnewi. We congratulate and thank the good people of Anambra. The hospitality is amazing,” he said.

The second round of the league continues till May 18 with a total of six teams participating.