The inaugural Petro Bama Vacances Foot tournament concluded on Sunday at the EDC terrain in Koulikoroba, Koulikoro. The final match, played in a festive atmosphere with a large turnout, saw Koulikoroba 1 claim the trophy by defeating Koulikoroba 2 with a score of 2-0. The event was attended by administrative and customary authorities, representatives from Petro Bama, and members of the Karagnara family.
This year's tournament marked the 17th edition of the Petro Bama Vacances Foot, which was organized in Koulikoro for the first time. A total of 12 teams from different quarters of the city participated in the competition. The final match was conducted without incident, thanks to the security measures put in place. Koulikoroba 1 made the decisive difference in the second half, scoring the first goal through their player number 11 shortly after the restart.
Ousmane Dembélé, player number 10 for Koulikoroba 1, sealed the victory with the second goal, securing the trophy for his team. The two sponsors, Modibo Fofana and Ibrahim Baba Traoré, expressed their satisfaction with the event, praising the mobilization of the youth and the efforts made to ensure the success of the tournament. They commended the talents showcased during the competition and the enthusiasm generated by the event.
The sponsors emphasized that Petro Bama Vacances Foot provides a platform for youth to come together through football, promoting cohesion and fair play. They also announced their intention to draw lessons from this first experience to improve the organization and communication of future editions. The goal is to increase the visibility of the competition, enhance public and youth mobilization, and make it a recurring sporting event in Koulikoro.
Several individual awards were presented at the end of the final match. El Hadji B. Sacko from Koulikoroba 1 was named the top scorer, while Mohamed Cissé received the award for the best player. Sékouba Traoré, also from Koulikoroba 1, was awarded the best goalkeeper. Each laureate received a trophy and an envelope of 25,000 FCFA. Koulikoroba 1, the winner, received a trophy and an envelope of 500,000 FCFA, while the finalist, Koulikoroba 2, received 250,000 FCFA.
The mayor of Koulikoro welcomed the successful organization of the first edition and praised the dynamic effort to promote sports in the city. Prior to the final, the two teams officially received their jerseys in the presence of the sponsors. The president of the sports journalists, Mamadou Lamine Singaré, had urged the finalists to prioritize cohesion, fair play, and mutual respect. Petro Bama Vacances Foot is typically organized in areas where Petro Bama stations are located, and Koulikoro was granted a derogation to host the competition this year.
The sponsors also announced the upcoming inauguration of a Petro Bama station in Koulikoro, which is expected to create job opportunities, particularly for young people. With Koulikoroba 1's victory, the first edition of the Petro Bama Vacances Foot tournament came to a close on a sporting and festive note. The organizers and sponsors have already looked forward to future editions, with a commitment to further enhance the organization, communication, and mobilization around the competition.
Key points
- Koulikoroba 1 won the inaugural Petro Bama Vacances Foot tournament by defeating Koulikoroba 2 2-0 in the final.
