The 2026 Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) U-14 Boys Cup produced a flurry of goals and impressive performances on Wednesday, September 9, as Edo recorded the biggest victory of the day with a commanding 5-0 win over Rivers.

The competition, alongside the NOWA U-17 Girls Cup, continued in Umuahia, Abia State, as some of Nigeria’s promising young footballers battled for honours in the grassroots tournaments organised with the support of the Nigerian Navy and the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON).

Edo were the standout performers in the boys’ category, dismantling Rivers 5-0 in a one-sided encounter.

Ekiti also enjoyed a comfortable victory, defeating Plateau 2-0, while Kaduna edged Imo 2-1 at the Immaculate Conception Field.

Benue recorded another away-style victory in the day’s fixtures, overcoming Cross River 2-1.

Anambra secured a narrow 1-0 win against Akwa Ibom, while Delta produced another emphatic performance by defeating the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 4-0.

Ondo and Enugu, however, could not be separated after playing out a 1-1 draw.

One fixture involving NYSA and Abia was scheduled for 12:30pm, with the outcome not included among the results available from Wednesday’s completed matches.

Abia Girls Impress in NOWA U-17 Cup

In the NOWA U-17 Girls Cup, hosts Abia made a strong statement with a 3-0 victory over Enugu.

The result gives the Abia girls an encouraging start as they continue their campaign in the competition designed to provide a platform for young female footballers to develop and gain competitive experience.

Rivers also secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Edo in another girls’ encounter.

The day’s other NOWA U-17 fixture ended in a 1-1 draw between Cross River and the FCT, ensuring both sides picked up a point from their opening encounter.

The results underline the competitive nature of the two tournaments, with several states already showing their intentions in the early stages.

The CNS U-14 Boys Cup and NOWA U-17 Girls Cup remain important grassroots development platforms, giving young players an opportunity to test themselves against opponents from across the country while attracting attention from coaches, scouts and football development stakeholders.

With more fixtures still to come, the battles for supremacy in both competitions are expected to intensify as teams look to secure favourable positions and keep their title ambitions alive.