The game was a clear departure from the goalless contest between the two teams when they met in the round robin match played on Wednesday.

Abuja had started the match on a brighter note with well-coordinated forays into the Ilorin area forcing in the process a fierce save from goal keeper RidwanAdeleke.

Their hope was however cut short when Ilorin maximized a quick counter to shoot into the lead through AyindeTaiye in the nineth minute of play. The score line remained unchanged despite several attempts by Abuja to restore parity. Indeed, they came close when a shot hit the top bar but bounced off the line in what would have been an equaliser.

In the female final match, Port Harcourt defeated Lagos 4-2 via penalties after the match had ended goalless at full-time.

The girls from the Garden City had fought very sternly to defend the cup it has now won four times in a row since inception in 2011.

It started the game the better side with Imoh Juliet, Captain UduakUbong Monday and Gift Chinaka combining well to dictate play in favour of the defending champion.

Lagos however recovered from the early pressure to mount a challenge on the trophy. It was TaibatOdueke operating from the midfield with support from No 12 making all the difference.

Port Harcourt however had the first chance to take the lead, but Imoh Juliet saw her well taken free kick tipped over the bar for a corner by goal keeper Ahmed Oladunni of Lagos.

Imoh was denied again when her breakaway run at goal was halted by the Lagos defenders led by Margaret Ademulegun.

Port Harcourt continued to search for the silence breaker and came close to realising this through Gift Chinaka who missed a two-yard sitter from a whipping cross from the enterprising Imoh Juliet.

The pressure prompted ARS Lagos Technical adviser, Peter Rufai had to hurl off SolemekunOluwakemi for IfeomaIwunze. The first half ended even.

Lagos started the second half better than it had done in the first 45 minutes. Their early incursions were however, contained by the Port Harcourt defence line.

The match wore on evenly between the two sides with no winner after duration.

The two champions would represent Nigeria at the weeklong Africa Championship to be hosted by Gabon in the last week of the month of August.

The ARS U-17 tournament, a pan-African initiative of Airtel Africa, is designed to provide support for the development of football talents across Nigeria. It aims at discovering talented male and female footballers under the age of 17 and providing them with platform to gain football skills and develop into professional footballers.

The tournament enjoys the support of football bodies such as Lagos State Football Association (LSFA), Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) and Arsenal Football Club.