OAU, UNN Record Victories as Varsity Cup 2024 Kicks off

Varsity Cup 2024, the maiden edition of Nigeria’s first annual university football competition for men and women kicked off in spectacular style with two electrifying matches hosted in the beautiful mainbowl of the University of Benin Sports Centre.

The competition began with the hosts, the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Men’s Team losing 1-3 to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Men’s Team, with Benjamin Enadeghe Amanyanvbo of OAU winning the coveted Moniepoint Star Player of the Match award that comes with the sum of N100,000.

Goals from OAU’s Kehinde Akinremi, Samson Bolarinde and Benjamin Amayanvbo were enough to see the visitors register an emphatic win over the hosts, with UNIBEN’s Uyiosa Osadiaye’s lone goal proving not to be enough.

In the second match of the series, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) Men’s Team proved their superiority with a 2-1 victory over Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) Men’s Team.

Toluwa Ajayi of AAUA’s 22nd-minute goal could not contain the ravishing brace by Onyedikachi Raluchukwu of UNN, who was crowned the undisputed Star of the Match, winning Moniepoint’s N100,000 cash prize for a spectacular performance.

“Today’s matches were a huge success. With the quality of organization on and off the field of play, Varsity Cup 2024 is truly delivering as promised,” stressed Professor M.G Yakasi, who is the Technical Chairman of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA).

The matches continue today at the UNIBEN Sports Complex with UNIBEN squaring off against UNN for a lifeline in the competition while OAU tackles AAUA to confirm their place in the Semi Finals.

Varsity Cup Men’s Football 2024 will run for five weeks until November 13, 2024 while the women’s football  tournament  has been confirmed to hold next year. It is sponsored by Moniepoint.