HOS Cup: It’s Govt House, Special Duties For Final

Gabriel Nwanetanya, and Joy Teena, Chioma Nnodim

The Government House Football team, yesterday overcame their Ministry of Justice counterparts in the  second semi final match of the 2013 Rivers State Civil Service Football competition tagged Head of Service, HOS, Cup.

In the match decided at the Sharks FC Stadium, the Government House team triumphed 3-2 via penalty shootout after regulation time had ended scoreless.

Now, the team will square up with the Ministry of Special Duties team, winner of the first semi final in the final match for the ultimate prize of the competition.

The Special Duties team had defeated Ministry of Sports by a lone goal in their semi final encounter last Monday.

Yesterday, both the Government House team and their Justice counterparts battled each other to  standstill and could not be separated within normal time.

Both side demonstrated ample determination to make the final, as neither of them had reached the final stage in the competition’ five year history.

However, Ministry of Justices ambition was betrayed by the players poor penalty kicks, missing the first and third kicks to hard the finals ticket to the  Government House team, who showed better composure and accuracy to convert their first three kicks.

Reacting to the victory, Government House’s team coach, Mr Adawari Ubani expressed joy at the historic victory. He noted that it would be the first time the team would be getting to the final of the competition in fire editions and promised to do his best to ensure that they win the trophy.

The Ministry of Sports and their Justice counterparts will now play for the third place crumbs tomorrow.

Meanwhile, elimination and qualifying series for the other sports events, athletics, 100 metre 200meter and 4×100 metres and thug of war were conducted began yesterday at the mainbowl of the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.

The finals of the events come up next week during the grand finale of the civil service week celebrations.