It was supposed to be a friendly match between friends, one from Benin and the other from Warri but what was served was nothing short of a cup final as the two teams tore into each other from the beginning of the match till the end of the referee’s final whistle.
Crescent Sports Club of Benin, the host were in no mood to take prisoners as they raced to a 2-0 first half lead before the visitors, Friends United from Warri rallied to put one into the net in the 2nd half for the highly entertaining game to end 2-1 in favour of the Benin side.
The two teams, both recreational clubs involving ex- footballers and sports athletes, enthusiasts and professionals from various fields and industries, first got involved in a 2-way friendly in 2021, with Crescent Sports Club winning the first leg in Benin while Friends United won the return in Warri.
Speaking after the game, the President of Crescent Sports Club, Dr Mike Egbo, thanked their opponent for showing up and at the same time putting up a spirited display during the game. “There was nothing friendly about the game or the previous ones between the two teams. Today, it was like two teams fighting relegation or going for the league title. It is good to see in the end, that football was the winner”, the CSC President concludes.
It is expected that Crescent Sports Club, a travelling recreational club with documented visits to Asaba, Lagos and other parts of Nigeria as well as an international trip to Ghana, will soon be on the way to Warri for a return leg game before the year runs out.
