The inaugural Dominion Peace Cup is set to conclude on Tuesday at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos. After two days of matches, young Nigerian footballers will have one final opportunity to impress foreign scouts. The tournament, organised by Dominion Football Club, has brought together teams from different parts of Nigeria, as well as a club from Ghana. Several scouts and agents have been monitoring the matches, including representatives linked to clubs in Portugal, Belgium, and Turkey.
A total of three matches are scheduled for the final day, with Athletic SC facing Dominion Excellence, Coal City taking on Bethel FC, and SCL Nigeria FC playing Goal Getters FC. According to tournament organiser Benjamin James, about six scouts are covering the competition, with some working directly for clubs and others operating as agents. The scouts are expected to select players based on their performance, with no predetermined number of players to be chosen.
The tournament aims to provide young players with a platform to showcase their abilities and potentially secure a move to European clubs. Benjamin James stated that the goal is to market the players to European clubs, saying, “We want them to know why they are here: to scout our players and see that they are doing well, so you can take them to Europe and market them.” The scout from Turkey, expected to watch the final day, has already provided a list of positions for which the club is looking for players.
On Monday, Adada Warriors recorded the biggest win, defeating Dominion Excellence 2-0. Other results from Monday's matches include a goalless draw between Edel FC and Glorious Day, a 1-0 victory for SCL Nigeria FC over Bilada, and a similar win for Eagle Elites against Bilada. The matches between Bethel FC and Coal City, Athletic SC and Eagle Elites, and Eagle Elites and SCL Nigeria FC ended goalless, with only four goals scored across Monday's five matches.
For Dominion FC proprietor Ogechi Agana, the tournament goes beyond football and is designed to provide young people with opportunities while keeping them productively engaged. She expressed hope that the competition would produce players capable of progressing to the international stage, saying, “We are hoping to produce one or two people who can go on to the international stage.”
The final three matches scheduled for Tuesday will provide the players with one last opportunity to make an impression before the scouts leave Lagos. For some of the participants, the final whistle could mark not just the end of the Peace Cup but the beginning of a possible journey into professional football abroad. The competitive nature of the tournament has been evident, with several top-notch matches and impressive performances from the young players.
The Peace Cup has provided a valuable platform for young Nigerian footballers to showcase their talents and potentially secure a move to European clubs. With the final day's matches set to conclude on Tuesday, the players will be eager to give it their all and make a lasting impression on the scouts in attendance. The tournament's success in providing opportunities for young players will be evident in the coming days as the selected players potentially embark on their European football journey.
Key points
- The tournament has attracted scouts from Portugal, Belgium, and Turkey.
- The final day of the Peace Cup will feature three matches.
- The tournament aims to provide young players with a platform to showcase their abilities and potentially secure a move to European clubs.
