Wasola FC Clinch Ikeja Division Title in Spires 5-Aside Street Soccer Qualifiers
By Victor Ottah

Wasola Football Club have emerged champions of the Ikeja Division in the ongoing Spires 5-Aside Street Soccer qualifying tournament. The team, under the guidance of Coach Paul Ezebiro, delivered a commanding performance to secure a 3-0 victory over Blood and Sand FC in the final held at the EL Cesped pitch, Ikeja, on Saturday.

Jimba starred with a brace, while Qudus added a third to seal the win for Wasola FC, who now advance to the main tournament later this year.

Speaking after the match, Coach Ezebiro expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance but emphasized the need to stay grounded ahead of the bigger challenge. “I’m happy we emerged champions of the Ikeja division, but I’ve told my boys to remain focused. This is just the qualifiers. The 16-team main tournament will be a lot tougher, and we must prepare accordingly,” he stated.

In the third-place playoff, Soccergems FA secured the final qualifying spot with a thrilling 4-2 win over Amsterdam FA, in a match that kept fans thoroughly entertained.

As champions of the division, Wasola FC received a cash prize of N500,000, with an additional #50,000 as the highest scoring team, Jimba also got #50,000 as the highest goal scorer of the tournament with 6 goals. Runners-up Blood and Sand FC were awarded N300,000, while Soccergems FA took home N100,000 for their third-place finish. All three teams will represent the Ikeja Division at the state championship.

Program Manager of the Spires 5-Aside tournament, Mr. Akin Odunsi, commended the organization and turnout in Ikeja, expressing optimism for the next round. “The Ikeja qualifiers were a success, and we’re looking to build on that as we move to the Ikorodu Division next. We’re confident it will be just as successful,” he said.

The Ikorodu Division qualifiers are set to kick off on Saturday, May 10. Ultimately, sixteen teams from across five Lagos divisions will compete in the 2025 Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer Tournament. Three teams will qualify from each division, with one additional spot reserved for the best overall fourth-placed team.