… What the Stats Say
After two months of scintillating football across thirty different centres. in the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, also known as the Prosperity Cup, the men have been separated from the boys.
Nembe LGA champions, Okoroma United at the Otuasega centre thrashed Mini FC of Minibie by four goals to one to progress to the semi finals. A brace from Itaribo Opubo on 13 and 27 minutes, Bebeto Nike on 23 and Alkali Murphy’s 81 minutes’ goal were all Okoroma needed to wrap up the match. Mini FC’s Alkali Nelson pulled one back, a consolatory effort that was too little too late.
In the second game at the Otuasega Township Stadium, former champions, Krosaders FC of Peretorugbene pipped hard-fighting Mountain of Fire Ministry (MFM) FC by a lone goal, courtesy of Moses Anthony’s beautiful, textbook strike.
Elsewhere, Akinima/Biogbo of Ogboloma at the Golf pitch, Onopa ended the enterprising Kolobiriowei FC of Bolu-Orua’s fairy tale run in the tournament, with a 4-2 victory via penalty shootout after a one-all draw in regulation time
Mountain of the Lord Deliverance Ministry (MLDM) FC of Odi delivered a clinical job with a three nil bashing of Izuo Gillette FC of Kpansia in their match decided at the Onopa centre.
Miesefe Benson put MLDM FC in front on 32 minutes. Shaka ThankGod and Oweifa Richmund compounded Izuo Gillette’s woes few minutes before the final whistle to send the church boys into the semi finals.
Meanwhile, a total of 530 goals were scored in 220 games in the preliminary round. A hundred and eighty of the 220 matches were decided in regulation time while 40 games were settled via penalty shootout, averaging 2.41 goals per match.
The round of 32 fixtures recorded 34 goals, with 11 matches ending in regulation time while five games were settled via penalty shootouts, and averaging 2.13 goals per match.
Eleven goals were scored in eight matches in the round of 16 matches, five games were decided in regulation time while three were decided via penalty shootouts, averaging 1.38 goals per match.
The quarter-finals produced 10 goals, with three of the four matches decided in regulation time while one fixture was settled via penalty shootout, averaging 2.5 goals per match.
The semi-final ties for both men and women will commence on Monday, 4th May, 2026 alongside the FC Barcelona scouting programme, at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa.
