United Stars FC of Nkambe have been crowned champions of the fifth edition of the Ta Nformi Awudu Stanley Football Friendship Tournament (ASFFOOT), after defeating Church FC 3-1 in a thrilling final at the Nkambe Municipal Stadium on Sunday, September 6.
Hundreds of football fans turned out for the eagerly awaited final, played under the watch of the Divisional Delegate for Sports and Physical Education for Donga Mantung. The encounter brought together two sides that had already produced a spectacular 2-2 draw during the group stage, but United Stars had the final say when it mattered most.
Tansah Bertrand, who was later named Man of the Match, opened the scoring for United Stars in the first half. Church FC responded through Nfor Jones before the break to restore parity. However, United Stars returned from the dressing room with renewed determination, scoring twice more to seal a 3-1 victory and send their supporters into celebrations.
United Stars’ Mpara Kelvin, alias “9 Must Score,” finished as the tournament’s highest goalscorer, while Abraham Yaro of Church FC was voted Best Player. Sixteen-year-old Nfor Thierry of Tabenken Football Academy, who scored eight goals before his side exited in the quarter-finals, was named the tournament’s youngest player.
Very special tournament
For FECAFOOT Donga Mantung Vice President Samba Kingsley, the competition went beyond winning trophies and cash prizes. He said it provided an important platform for discovering young footballing talents who could eventually represent the division at higher levels.
“The tournament was so special indeed,” Kingsley said, highlighting the participation of Tabenken Football Academy, which he said respected the fixtures, attended technical meetings and demonstrated discipline throughout the competition. The academy was subsequently named the tournament’s Most Disciplined Team.
Kingsley said FECAFOOT Donga Mantung intends to identify talents unearthed during the tournament and integrate them into the divisional football structure.
“FECAFOOT Donga Mantung has as plans to identify the hidden talents so that they will be recruited to take part in the Donga Mantung Divisional League,” he explained, adding that the objective is to eventually help produce teams and players capable of representing the division at the Northwest Regional League.
Surprises reserved for next edition
Tournament donor and initiator Awudu Stanley said the competition was conceived primarily as a means of keeping young people engaged during the holidays while promoting friendship, unity and social cohesion.
“When the younger ones are idle, lots of things could happen,” Stanley said. “The sports tournament brings them together and they have happy moments; they share friendship and love. Sports is a thing that brings people together in spite of their differences.”
The tournament, which had traditionally been staged in December, was moved to the summer holidays this year following requests from young people and residents. Stanley said the change was aimed at providing constructive activity during a period when many youths would otherwise have little to occupy them.
He also sees a bigger future for ASFFOOT. With the tournament now five editions old, Stanley hopes the sixth edition will introduce additional activities.
“Like a baby moves as a baby grows, learns how to creep and how to walk and later how to run, I think we are getting to somewhere,” he said. “We will have lots of surprises in the sixth edition.”
Stanley further hinted that future editions could expand beyond Nkambe to other subdivisions or towns, transforming ASFFOOT from a local football gathering into a broader platform for youth development, talent identification and community unity.
The fifth edition concluded with a celebration marking the tournament’s five-year journey, as organizers, administrators, members of the sports family and civil society representatives joined the festivities.
