Defending champion, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) will trade tackles with Sifax Group in the opening match of the 7th edition of the annual Maritime Cup Football competition holding in Lagos this week.

The opening match will be played on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

At the draws of the competition held at Etal hotel Apapa, Lagos Thursday, NAGAFF and Sifax were drawn in Group A alongside three times champion, Nigeria Customs Service and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).

A total of 8 teams will feature in the tournament this year, according to the organisers, Ships & Ports Communication Company.

In Group B, Micura Stevedoring Service will trade tackles with ENL Consortium, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Dominion Divine Clearing Agency.

Speaking earlier, coordinator of the draws and former chairman, Lagos State Referees Council, Prince Adesegun Kosoko, commended the organisers, Ships & Ports Communication Company for promoting sporting activities in the maritime sector.

Kosoko noted that the competition had grown tremendously over the past eight years. He tasked the participating teams on safety, asking them not to see the competition as a must-win but rather as an avenue for camaraderie.

He said, “The game is prone to injury but can be minimised if we do not see it as a must-win.

“We should see the game as an avenue to meet new friends outside our business environment.”

The former Lagos State referee boss also charged the teams to report early to the venue on match days.