Lead City University’s football team, the Lead City Gladiators, has emerged winner of the Higher Institutions Football League (HIFL) e-football tournament sponsored by Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC.
Lead City Gladiators emerged winner after defeating the FUTA Tigers on a 5–4 aggregate score.
The final match of the HIFL e-football tournament ended in a draw with each team scoring one goal.
The university has broken record as the pioneer winner of the first ever virtual football tournament for tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The Higher Institutions Football League was launched in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in the lockdown of schools, businesses and social and sporting events to curtail its spread.
Matches for the HIFL 2020 e-Invitational Tournament – Play Indoors for the World” were streamed live on the HIFL’s digital platforms.
About eight institutions participated in the five-day event. The institution included: Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Benin (UNIBEN), Delta State University (DELSU) and Redeemers University Nigeria (RUN).
The FUTA Tigers came second while UI Pioneers claimed third place with a 2 – 0 win over DELSU Titans.
Speaking on the success of the virtual tournament, Head, Marketing and Communications, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami, praised the creation of the gaming tournament.
She said Stanbic IBTC was committed to the development of the Nigerian youth and would continue to support youth-centric innovations.
HIFL is a member of the Higher Institutions Sports League created and managed by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing Ltd.
