By Akila Matawal
The Akwa Ibom State Football Association (AKFA) Super 4 Pre-season Tournament is set to begin in Uyo.
Here is all you should know about the competition.
Who is involved?
Akwa United, Dakkada FC, FC One Rocket and Ibom Youth FC are the four teams participating in the tournament.
The duo of Nigeria Professional Football League champions Akwa United and Dakkada FC and Dakkada FC play in the NPFL while FC One Rocket and Ibom Youth FC play in the Nigeria National League (NNL).
Where is it taking place?
The five-day competition will be held at the training pitch of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, with the final game between Dakkada FC and Akwa United expected to hold at the main bowl.
When is it starting?
The tournament kick-starts today November 16 with FC One Rocket facing Akwa United in the opener by 2pm while Dakkada FC battle Ibom Youth FC at 4pm.
Thursday will see Dakkada FC take on FC One Rocket as Akwa United go head to head with Ibom Youth FC.
Hostilities will end on Saturday November 20 with Ibom Youth FC versus FC One Rocket in an all NNL affair while Dakkada FC and Akwa United will end proceedings in the last game.
What is at stake?
There was no prize money in the plan at first but the Akwa Ibom State Government through the Youth and Sports Commissioner Sir Monday Uko announced cash prizes of #500,000, #300,000 and #200,000 respectively for the first, second and third-placed teams to add spice to the tournament.
Format
It will be a round robin format with the four teams playing against one another. Each team will play three matches.
Past winner
Ibom Youth FC won the first edition of the Akwa Ibom State Super 4 in 2018 and will be entering this edition as defending champions.
That edition was however not a pre-season tournament. It took place during mid-season.
Meet the coaches
Akwa United FC is coached by retired footballer Kennedy Boboye. He won has won two Nigeria Professional Football League titles with Plateau United and Akwa United in 2017 and 2021 respectively.
Dakkada FC is under the tutelage of Umar Danlami. A goalkeeper in his active football years, he has had stints with FC Taraba, Delta Force and Kada City before guiding Dakkada FC to an 11th place finish in the NPFL last season.
FC One Rocket is also coached by an ex footballer in Patrick Ndubuisi Ndah. Ndah who was appointed just weeks to the start of the NNL last season led FC One Rocket to a top four finish, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot.
Ibom Youth FC is guided by Emmanuel Ntuk. A grassroots coach through and through, Ntuk had a fine season with Ibom Youth FC last NNL campaign as the team finished in the top five in their NNL group.
Let the games begin!