The prestigious Edo State Governors Cup 2025 continued to captivate football lovers across the state as the semi-final fixtures served up an exciting display of youth football talent and determination. Hosted in the heart of Benin City, the tournament, designed to discover and nurture grassroots football talents in Edo State, has lived up to its billing, with schools from across various local government areas putting in remarkable performances.
In the girls' category, the first semi-final clash between Idia College, Oredo, and Umagbae Secondary School, Uhunmwonde, ended in a commanding victory for the Benin City giantess from the first whistle, Idia College demonstrated their tactical discipline, speed, and superior technical abilities.
Idia College opened the scoring in the 8th minute with a superb solo effort, weaving through two defenders before slotting the ball calmly past the Umagbae goalkeeper. The relentless pressure from Idia College paid off again when they doubled the lead with a precise long-range strike just before the break.
The second half saw Umagbae Secondary School attempting to fight back, but Idia College’s defense held firm. Two late goals sealed an emphatic 4-0 win, sending Idia College to the finals amid wild celebrations from their supporters.
The boys' first semi-final encounter between Ogbe Secondary School, Oredo, and St. David Mixed Model School was a true spectacle, thrilling fans with end-to-end action. Ogbe Secondary drew first blood in the 20th minute when their striker latched onto a clever through ball to calmly finish.
St. David Mixed Model School showed resilience and equalized just before halftime through a powerful header. The second half was a tense affair, with both sides creating chances and goalkeepers on both ends making crucial saves.
With penalties looming, Ogbe Secondary snatched a dramatic late winner, when they pounced on a loose ball at the edge of the box and fired home to send the home.
The Edo State Governors Cup is proudly sponsored by Peculiar Ultimate Concerns and organized by Schools' Sport Foundation, In Collaboration with Edo State Ministry of Education and Edo State Sports Commission