NPFL: Sunshine Stars egde Wikki Tourist in Akure
Franklin Sasere scored the decisive goal as Sunshine Stars came from behind to win 2-1 against Wikki Tourists in a thrilling 2017/18 Nigerian Professional Football League contest at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure Sunday.
Searching for their first win in four outings, coach Henry Abiodun tutored Sunshine Stars started the match day 17 tie on the front foot, but surprisingly found themselves trailing as early as the third minute.
The visitors gained possesion deep into Sunshine Stars’ half and carved opening for Abubakar Umar who poked home from four metres out to hand the Bauchi’s Elephants a shock lead.
Sunshine Stars responded to going down with a high intensity attacking display and needed just nine minutes to restore parity through red hot hitman, Sikiru Alimi.
The striker dribbled past three markers to create space and unleashed past Pius Ibrahim in goal for Wikki Tourists from few yards. The goalkeepr got a hand on the ball but Alimi’s effort was too close and strong to be kept out.
After the leveller Sunshine Stars maintained the tempo and were close to getting a second through Sunday Emmanuel and Jide Fatokun, though the scoreline won’t change until the interval.
In the 53rd minute Ibrahim denied Sunshine Stars in quick succession; first, he kept out Kehinde Adedipe’s venomous shot from outside the area before denying Alimi and Sasere from the rebounds.
However there will be no stopping Sasere 15 minutes later; the big-framed striker’s audacious header from Seun Olulayo’s cross dropped in off the the upright to spark a deafening sound of jubilation from the home crowd.
In the 83rd minute, substitutes, Ezekiel Thompson almost put the game against his former side to bed but his effort just inside the area was kept out by Ibrahim, while Dayo Ojo had a trademark low drive stopped by the work.
The Akure Landlords brilliantly retained possession in the closing stages and closed out the game for their first win in four matches to move out of the bottom four with 20 points and next face Akwa United in Uyo on match day 18.
