From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Team Nasarawa began its campaign at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, on a bright note with a victory in football and another medal in karate.
In football on Saturday, the Nasarawa boys defeated hosts Team Delta by a lone goal in a thrilling encounter at St Patrick’s Playground on Saturday. After a goalless first half, Team Nasarawa broke the deadlock in the second half to secure the vital three points, silencing the home crowd and signalling their intent in the competition.
In an interview with our correspondent, the secretary of the team, Felicia Ubili, expressed satisfaction, noting that she expected the match to be very difficult but had encouraged the players to win, referencing their first match during the elimination in Kwara, where the team faced the host and defeated them.
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“It was the same thing that happened in Kwara. I told the boys to go and win and qualify, which they did, and we are here now for the main game. The boys are ready, and I think we will go far,” she said.
Elsewhere, in karate, Chineye Agbo delivered Nasarawa’s third medal of the Games, winning bronze after an impressive run in the Kumite event. Agbo outclassed her opponent from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Faiza Gimba, 4-0, to clinch the medal.
Her journey to the podium included an emphatic 8-0 victory over Niger State’s Blessing Moses, a hard-fought 3-7 loss to eventual gold medallist Chidinma Nwangwu of Anambra, and a 4-0 triumph over Gift Emezue of Abia before the decisive win against Gimba.
Reacting after her fight, Agbo expressed mixed feelings about the outcome. “I’m not happy I won a bronze; my target was the gold. However, I thank God for this opportunity, and I also want to thank the Nasarawa State government and my coaches,” she said.
The latest achievement adds to Nasarawa’s karate medal haul, with Magdaline Inji (-47kg Girls) and Alexander Otuma (-50kg Boys) earlier securing bronze medals on Friday.
Meanwhile, other results in karate across the Games saw Bayelsa defeat Cross River 4-0, Delta thrash Lagos 8-0, and Abuja record a 9-0 whitewash over Kaduna in their respective events.
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