Spain Beat Nigeria To Claim COPA Lagos Title, Ex-Eagles Outscore Artistes

The Spanish beach soccer team are the champions of the 2017 COPA Lagos Beach Soccer tournament, after defeating  Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles 6-5, in a thrilling final played at the Eko Atlantic City, in Lagos on Sunday. The Spanish Beach Soccer team are first-time champions of the COPA Lagos title, as they took Nigeria back in time to last year’s final, where the Sand Eagles lost to Switzerland. The Super Sand Eagles won the first three editions of the tournament but, finished as runners-up in 2015 and since then, have failed to clinch the title. In this year’s tournament, Nigeria defeated Morocco and Lebanon 7-6 and 9-8 respectively. Spain also didn’t fail to impress as they also wondering their two pre-final games, edging Lebanon 7-3 and Morocco 8-5. Both teams met in the final undefeated, with each side hoping to walk away with the title. At the end of the game, it was definitely the Spaniards, who wanted it more. In the first period, Spain was up two goals from Llorenc and Eduard Molina, but Emeka Ogbonna and Ekuitmi Eganosi brought the Sand Eagles back on track with a goal each to end the first period 2-2. In the second period, the Super Sand Eagles went ahead of the Spanish Beach Soccer team with a goal but Molina brought the scores square at 3-3. Molina scored a hat-trick that put Spain 4 goals up against Nigeria’s 3 goals. Nonetheless, Abu Azeez brought the scores to an equal stance yet again. Spanish goalie, Francisco Lopez, piped Spain ahead of the Sand Eagles with a goal close to the end of the second period to bring the scores 5-4 for Spain. In the third period, Adrain Garcia put Spain two goals up against Nigeria. Abu Azeez pulled a goal back for Nigeria in the last minutes of the game, but it was not enough as the Spanish went ahead to take home their first-ever COPA Lagos title. In the clubs category, debutantes Kebbi defeated Pepsi Academy 8-3 in a thrilling match to emerge winners. Before the final day, all the four clubs had won one and lost one game each. In the celebrity games male category, artists of the entertainment industry defeated ex-internationals 2-0 on penalties after full-time ended 2-2, in a ceremonial game. The likes of Austin Eguavoen, former Schalke 04 striker Victor Agali, former Barcelona player Gbenga Okunowo, Friday Ekpo, and Victor Ikpeba were in action for the ex-internationals. While stars, such as Sound Sultan and Solid Star, featured for the entertainers, who won the game.