Liberty All Stars FC, Atani have qualified for the grand finale of the 2024 Babatem All Stars Football Competition. 

The Atani based side saw off Housing Football Club of Onitsha 5-4 on penalty shootouts after the match ended 1-1 at the end of regulation time in a keenly contested clash played at the Awka City Stadium on Sunday, 1st September 2024.

Liberty All Stars took an early lead in the second minute of the match through Emma Chimaobi who poked home a simple finish from a well worked early counter attacking play by his side. Housing FC were made to work hard and deservedly restored parity five minutes from time to force the match into penalty kicks in order to determine the winner.

Liberty All Stars will now square up against Metu Memorial Old Boys Onitsha come Sunday, 8th September 2024 at the Awka City Stadium. Metu Memorial Old Boys had earlier on Saturday, 31st August 2024 defeated Fegge All Stars from Onitsha by two unreplied goals.

Reacting after the win during an interview with sports writers, the sponsor of the side, Mr. Tochukwu Okafor eulogised the playing personnel for a resolute performance displayed on the pitch against a disciplined Housing FC. Okafor informed that the players will take a day off and then return on Tuesday to commence intense preparations for the grand finale. 

He eulogised the sponsor of Babatem Football Competition for the initiative geared towards taking grassroots football to the next level while also eulogising the Anambra State Government for the support to the competition.

Okafor said: "We are delighted to have made it thus far and eventually booked a place for the grand finale. All hands on deck now as we will commence preparations immediately for the grand finale. I thank the donor for this initiative of taking football to the next level while I also thank the Anambra State Government for the support towards the vision."

The Babatem ANSFA Football competition which is bankrolled by Mr. Patrick Okwuelingo, MD/CEO of PatrickLingo Pharmaceuticals Limited, will see the winner take home the sum of N1million while the first and second runners-up will take home the sum of N500 thousand and N300 thousand respectively among other consolation prizes such as the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Highest Goal Scorer, Best Goalkeeper and Best-Behaved Team.