The Port Harcourt leg of the 3rd Airtel Rising Stars, ARS U-17 zonal championship, which commenced on Monday will be rounded off on Friday at the Training Pitch of the Liberation Stadium.
Well over 3,500 participants featured in the week-long championship, which ends today with finals of both the male and female categories.
The participating teams were not given specific names, as the young boys and girls were selected and grouped into Teams Red and Teams White to march the colours of Airtel, sponsors of the youth empowerment programme.
Were more business like from the screening stage which ended on Wednesday, through the knock out stages that were concluded today.
Team Red defeated their White counterparts 1-0 in the female third place game, while Team Red also triumphed over Team White 5-3 via penalty kicks in one of the semi finals of the male category.
Coordinator of the Garden City zone, David Okewumi said the championship started with fanfare, and he is expecting electrifying final games on Friday.
“The closing ceremony will be held on Friday, but I must commend all the participants for conducting themselves well since Monday.
Coach Egbu Joseph, who showered encomiums on Airtel for providing the platform for the youths to exhibit their skills, disclosed that he and his colleagues went through the screening exercise of the players successfully.
He said the teams that will emerge from the zone will show their stuff during the ARS national championship slated for Lagos from August 21 to 24.
Only a team each in the male and female categories will pick the sole ticket to the national championship.
