Bayelsa Queens and Heartland Queens have secured spots in the quarter-finals of the ongoing 4th edition of the internationally acclaimed Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament (BOWFT), after emerging as the top teams in their respective groups during the group stage of the competition.
Bayelsa Queens demonstrated their dominance in Group B to stay atop the table with nine points, while Heartland Queens of Owerri secured the lead in Group B with the maximum nine points.
In Match Day 4 played yesterday, Bayelsa Queens thrashed their opponents, Espoir FC of Benin Republic 4-1 at the University of Benin Stadium to secure their qualification to the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, Heartland Queens defeated Aigle Royal d’Adjara of Cotonou, Benin Republic, 1-0, at the Western Boys High School in Ikpoba-Okha LGA of Edo State.
BOWFT, Nigeria’s foremost pre-season women football tournament, is an initiative of Mrs. Betsy Obaseki in collaboration with private sector partners to groom and empower the girl-child, and engender grassroots sports development in Edo State and Nigeria, while promoting causes that raise awareness about and discourage social vices.
In its 4th edition, the 2024 Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament with the theme, “Say No to Teenage Pregnancy and Child Motherhood,” is taking place in Benin City, the Edo State capital, between Monday, October 6 and Thursday, October 17, 2023.
This year’s edition is aimed at raising awareness and generating public interest to check the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and child motherhood.
Speaking on the day of the official opening ceremony at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the Edo First Lady said “Every edition of this tournament has its own theme. This year’s theme is “say no to teen pregnancy and abandonment,”
14 teams including two from the Benin Republic are participating in this year’s edition of the money spinning tournament.
“The teams are Edo Queens FC, Delta Babies FC, Bayelsa Queens, Hartland Queens, FC Robo, BraveHeart FC, Fortress Ladies FC, Najia Ratels FC, Espoir FC, Aigle Royals FC, Remo Star Ladies, Nasarawa Amazons FC, Confluence Ladies, Abia Angel FC
The winner of the tournament will go home with N10 million, second place, N7 Million, third N5 million while the fourth placed team will receive N1.5m.
