For Gariba Sanni, the skipper of Accra Giants it was triple celebrations as he got his sweet revenge with a fantastic display that won him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the Best Scorer (Goal King) Award with nine goals.
He set the arena alive with the classic opener and went on to score two more with skipper Mubarak Shehu adding one more to make sure the Kumasi lads finished the first half 4-0 down.
In the second half, the Ashanti Warriors came back strongly with good goal keeping by Rabui Ali as he saved his team from conceding more goals however a deflected shot from Anas Ishaku beat him midway in the half to make it goal number five.
Before that goal Abdulrahman Abdulaziz managed to lob the ball pass the best goalkeeper of the league winner Rafiu Amidu 10 minutes after the break to reduce the deficit.
All the players were presented with MTN airtime and Binatone pressing iron each, while the most outstanding player got a music-maker and fan in addition to his trophy.
President of the International Federation of Skate Soccer (IFSS), Mr Albert K. Frimpong, congratulated the winners and losers who put up a spirited performance. He called on Ghanaians to show love for the physically-challenged and support them.
He also praised MTN and Binatone for sponsoring the final, and commended the GOC president, Ben Nunoo Mensah for gracing the event to motivate the players and officials.
Acting Chief Marketing Manager of MTN, who performed the ceremonial kick, Mr Guido Sopiimeh, in his speech said he was delighted to witness the finals of this exciting game.
He said that since the first game was played in Kumasi, he had been looking forward to the final, to celebrate with the winners.
“Permit me to congratulate the winners for all the hard work done to ensure that you lift the trophy. I would also like to congratulate the runners-up for your show of tenacity and giving the winners a run for their money.
As partners, MTN is happy to have come on board to help the organisers and the players realise their dreams. It was an opportunity for us to further strengthen the positive relationship that exists between MTN and the people within our communities. We appreciate the opportunity we have to make a difference in the lives of this unique and creative people” he said.
Mr. Sopiimeh noted that Skate Soccer is one of such exciting ways to support the physically challenged while brightening their lives.
“The story of these skaters is amazing and typically resonates with MTN’s Leadership and relationship values. We are inspired by the tenacity and strength of these people. More importantly, we hope that with the growth of this sport, more people will be attracted into the teams which we hope will keep them meaningfully engaged” he added.
D. Venu Babu, Managing Director of Interworld Products, suppliers and distributors of Binatone electrical appliances, expressed his joy after the successful event, and said his company was proud to be associated with skate soccer.
He commended the players for putting up a competitive and spirited performance which made the fans very happy. He also thanked the media for the massive support.
