UK: Wolves forward Jota wins ePremier League fundraiser

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Diogo Jota was crowned the ePremier League (ePL) Invitational champion Saturday in an online gaming tournament fundraiser to support the National Health Service (NHS) amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Jota met Liverpool's defender Trent Alexander-Arnold in the final match of the competition where the Portuguese forward won 2-1 with a golden goal in extra time in the world famous FIFA 20 football video game, according to the English Premier League.

"Congratulations to Trent, he’s a good player, and congratulations to Wolves - we won," said Jota.

"I was happy to get to the final and I’m obviously gutted not to win it, but Diogo did really well," Alexander-Arnold said in congratulations to his opponent.

"The prize fund for the ePL Invitational is being donated to the #PlayersTogether initiative, created by Premier League players as a collective way of generating funds for the National Health Service and distributing them where they are needed most," the league said.

UK football was halted in March to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.

COVID-19 cases have been reported in 185 countries and regions since the virus emerged in China last December, with the US and Europe the hardest-hit areas in the world.

Nearly 2.9 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll above 202,000 and more than 813,500 recoveries, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.

UK health authorities said the death toll there rose to 20,319.