The Indomie U-13 football league, organised in partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES), kicked-off in Accra on Tuesday at the Madina Sports Complex.
The four-day tournament, set to end on Friday, is under the sponsorship of Indomie Ghana Limited and was meant to unearth talent in football as well as promote the sport at the basic level of education.
Opening the event, the Greater Accra Regional Physical Education Director, Mr Malcom Frimpong, said GES was proud to be associated with the programme.
He said GES puts much premium on such programmes that has the power to produce talents for the youth national teams.
The Greater Accra regional Chairman of the GFA, Mr Samuel Aboabiri, in his remarks, commended Indomie for the sponsorship and hoped it will be extended to the other regions.
Former Black Stars player, John Painstsil, urged the players to have confidence in themselves and their ability to excel at the very top.
He asked them to be disciplined, demonstrate love, tolerance and respect for one another.
Mr Akshay Karla, the Marketing Manager of Indomie, in an interview with the Times Sports, said the programme was meant to promote football at the basic level of education.
He said the programme, also formed part of the company corporate social investment, to unearth talent for the national team.
On calls for its expansion, Mr Karla said management of Indomie had considered the idea and would soon roll out plans to give it a national dimension.
In all, 32 selected basic schools in the Greater Accra region are participating in the 2022 event, including eight female football teams.
They include Kotobabi, Anumle, Achimota Basic School, Martin Luther, Ashaiman, Gbawe Experimental, Awopedec, God Gift, Grace Beacon, Teshie Camp 2, and Harmony Basic School.
The opening ceremony was followed by two matches between Awopedec and Martin Luther which the latter won 3-1, and Achimota and Grace Beacon.
Achimota defeated them 1-0.
The winner would take home a trophy, cash prize of GH¢6,000 and Indomie products worth GH¢4,000.
In attendance were officials from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to scout for players as part of its ‘Catch Them Young’ programme.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
