28th May, 2017
Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure on Sunday returned to winning ways beating visiting Enyimba International FC of Aba in the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The week 21 match in Akure was played behind closed doors following sanctions on the hosts by the League Management Company (LMC).
Sunshine Stars had lost to Lobi Stars in their week 20 match, leading to violence by the team’s fans who were protesting a disallowed goal by the referee.
This match however was different, even though it ended in a draw in the first half after so many goal scoring chances went unutilised.
A foul on Sikiru Alimi in the 67th minute however led to a penalty kick converted by Ajibola Otegbeye for the match’s lone goal.
At the end of the match, Austin Eguavoen, the Technical Adviser of Sunshine Stars, said the result has taken some pressure off his team.
Eguavoen however said both teams were top sides and he had expected more from Enyimba, given their pedigree.
“But, it is the result that matters,’’ he said.
The coach was however emphatic in saying it would be better if the Sunshine Stars FC management would improve the welfare of the players.
Gbenga Ogunbote, coach of the visiting side, on his part said he was disappointed his team could not score three goals before conceding the penalty kick.
“I think we paid for our carelessness. We wasted too many goal scoring chances. This is not a match we should have lost.
“We should have been leading by four goals. But we will work on our team before the next game,” he said.