Nigeria, Arsenal start with wins at COPA Lagos

The Arsenal Beach soccer team as well as the SuperSand Eagles of Nigeria on Friday started their campaign at the annual COPA Lagos International Beach Soccer Tournament on a winning note.

This is the first time the Arsenal Beach team are playing in Africa and by extension in Nigeria and they did not have it easy as they had to dig deep to beat Kebbi Beach Soccer team 9-11 on Friday.

Also, the newly assembled Gidi Sharks team started on a bright note, beating Pepsi Academy 6-3.

The Supersand Eagles on their part edged Morocco 7-6 and Spain drubbed Lebanon 7-3.

The fireworks will continue at the annual COPA Lagos International Beach Soccer Tournament on Saturday with Nigeria’s Supersand Eagles ready to compound the woes of their counterparts from Lebanon at the Eko Atlantic Beach.

On Saturday, the Supersand Eagles, one of Africa’s two flag-bearers at this year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in The Bahamas, will take on Lebanon at 7.15pm, before tackling Spain at the same time on Sunday.

The Supersand Eagles won the first three editions of the COPA Lagos International Beach Soccer Tournament, but finished as runners-up to Cote d’Ivoire in 2015.

Last year, the COPA Lagos International Beach Soccer Tournament was not full-fledged, as it held under the banner of the CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations at the same venue.