Peace Cup: Young talents seek European breakthrough as scouting event ends

Young Nigerian footballers at the inaugural Dominion Peace Cup will have one final opportunity to impress foreign scouts when the scouting tournament ends on Tuesday at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

After two days of matches, the players will return to the pitch hoping to deliver performances that could attract the attention of scouts and agents seeking emerging talent for clubs abroad.

Three matches are scheduled for the final day, with Athletic SC facing Dominion Excellence, Coal City taking on Bethel FC, and SCL Nigeria FC playing Goal Getters FC.

The tournament, organised by Dominion Football Club, has brought together teams from different parts of Nigeria, as well as a club from Ghana, in an effort to provide young players with a platform to showcase their abilities.

Several scouts and agents have been monitoring the matches from the sidelines, including representatives linked to clubs in Portugal, Belgium and Turkey.

According to the tournament organiser, Benjamin James, about six scouts are covering the competition, with some working directly for clubs and others operating as agents.

“We don’t just want to bring people to come and spend all day here,” Mr James said. “We want them to know why they are here: to scout our players and see that they are doing well, so you can take them to Europe and market them.”

Mr James said there was no predetermined number of players the scouts were expected to select.

“We cannot specify that we are looking for two or five or six,” he said. “It’s how good the players are. You can market them easily.”

He added that the scout from Turkey, expected to watch the final day, had already provided a list of positions for which the club was looking for players.

Adada Warriors claim biggest win

Adada Warriors recorded the biggest result on Monday, defeating Dominion Excellence 2-0.

Dominion Excellence had earlier defeated Coal City 1-0 on Saturday, while Adada Warriors lost 1-0 to Edel FC.

Edel FC maintained their unbeaten record on Monday after playing out a goalless draw with Glorious Day.

SCL Nigeria FC also secured a 1-0 victory over Bilada, while Eagle Elites defeated Bilada by the same scoreline.

The matches between Bethel FC and Coal City, Athletic SC and Eagle Elites, and Eagle Elites and SCL Nigeria FC ended goalless.

Only four goals were scored across Monday’s five matches, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament.

Platform for young players

For Dominion FC proprietor, Ogechi Agana, the tournament goes beyond football and is designed to provide young people with opportunities while keeping them productively engaged.

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“Football is an international game, and it exposes everybody to great opportunities,” Mrs Agana said.

She expressed hope that the competition would produce players capable of progressing to the international stage.

“We are hoping to produce one or two people who can go on to the international stage,” she said.

With the final three matches scheduled for Tuesday, the players have one last opportunity to make an impression before the scouts leave Lagos.

For some of the participants, the final whistle could therefore mark not just the end of the Peace Cup but the beginning of a possible journey into professional football abroad.