- Safiu Kehinde
Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan has, on Sunday, ended the unbeaten run of El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club of Maiduguri in the ongoing 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Hosting El Kanemi Warriors at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan for the Match day 11 fixture, the Shooting Stars dominated the game’s early proceedings.
They were, however, denied early goal scoring opportunities by the visiting goalkeeper until Samuel Ayanrinde headed in Monday Gideon’s pullout in the 26th minute.
The Oluyole Warriors would double their lead through Aliyu Abubakar’s 37th minute goal to make it an evening of back-slappings for the hosts who have had difficulties scoring goals so far.
Substitute Mustapha Adams extended their lead in the 61st minute of the game.
According to reports, the win took 3SC to 10th place on the NPFL log from 15th, with 15 points from 11 matches.
Speaking during the post-match conference, Gbenga Ogunbote, the club’s Head Coach, told newsmen that the victory would enhance his players’ confidence.
He added that the recent return of some of the club’s players who went abroad for trials would be a blessing to the team’s aspirations.
“It will make the team’s defenceline to be more solid,” the coach said.
On his part, Aliyu Zubairu, the Head Coach of El-Kanemi Warriors, lamented that his team played below their standard.
“I can not attribute our low performance to any reason, because winning or losing is normal in football.
“But I must say that we have not been moved or flattered by our unbeaten status until today because it did not change anything,” he said.