as Las Cala win Tigo Community Soccer

Former Black Stars superstar, Laryea Kingston returned to Teshie, his hood of play to inspire young footballers to aim higher in their careers and work to realise their aspiration.

As the special guest of honour in the Teshie leg of the 2014 series of Tigo’s Community Soccer, the former Scotland and Russia based winger told the 240 players who took part in the two-day knockout competition that they needed to train hard and take their opportunities in life seriously if they possessed dreams of succeeding as footballers.

“Anything you dream you can achieve, but you have to work very hard as if everything depends on it,” Laryea told the young enthusiastic footballers who kept chanting his nickname, Sabato while the decorated player of Africa Cup of Nations fame delivered his inspirational talk.

“Opportunities like Tigo Community Soccer gives you the chance for people to appreciate your talent as a footballer. After that, you work hard and keep praying. You will never know what will happen after today,” Kingston said.

With popular Ghana’s Most Strongest contestant. ‘Teshie Warrior’ by his side amid backing the motivational talk, Kingston launched Accra’s first event in this year’s Tigo Community Soccer series.

Some of the participating teams who got knocked out early included Teshie Estates Preparatory School (TEPS), First Junction, Teshie Maami and Greda Estates.

Nungua Zongo, Nungua Camp 2, Gornno School and other teams seemed to do well but eventually succumbed to the might of overall winners Teshie Las Cala who beat Teshie Sankara in the final whilst Teshie Zongo finished in third place.

“I love the way this has turned out,” said Laryea Kingston.

“This is how I started. Playing community football, representing my area and then I started playing for big clubs and eventually to Europe and then the Black Stars,” the former Hearts of Mithlodian star added.

Laryea continued: “Here in Teshie, there is a lot of talent but people do not have opportunities like Tigo Community Soccer to be spotted and harnessed.”

So enthralled was the former Black Stars player with the soccer that he even refused to move his posh Escalade vehicle from behind the posts where misdirected shots from the players kept hitting it.

Despite pleas from the community to ‘Braa Laryea’ he insisted amid applause from the fans that “I bought this car with money from football. If another football hits it what would be so wrong with that.”

Aside the football, residents of Teshie in their hundreds came out to be screened by a team from the LEKMA Hopsital for free. The health workers screened residents for glucose levels, High Blood pressure and Hepatitis B.

“Tigo is using the very exciting Community Soccer platform to further engage the community. Your health is your wealth. A healthy Community is therefore a wealthy community,” said the Public Relations and Media Manager of Tigo, Kwamena Buckman.

“We want people to Smile about their health status. If you are in good health you are free. If you are not in good health, you can be helped immediately. Its all Tigo’s way of showing the community that we care,” Mr. Buckman added.

From Teshie, Tigo’s Community Soccer will now hit Bukom, Dansoman and Ashaiman before leaving Accra.

From the Capital, Tigo’s Community Soccer will visit Nkawkaw, Sekondi and Cape Coast.