NPFL: Sunshine Stars Pip El Kanemi Warriors in Akure
Academy graduate, Kehinde Adedipe scored a terrific volley as Sunshine Stars edged El Kanemi Warriors in a match day six 2017/18 Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) tie on Wednesday at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure.
After going so close in the early exchanges of the game through Sikiru Alimi and Franklin Sasere on different occassions Sunshine Stars were rewarded for their dominance in the 26th minutes when Adedipe blasted home from Sasere’s inch-perfect lob to hand the hosts a deserved advantage.
Sunshine Stars goalkeeper, Moses Ocheije who had earlier denied the visitors with a smart save inside the opening 13 minutes was given a scare when the visitors got close to restoring parity with a deceptive cross that hit the upright.
In the final half the Duke Udi tinkered side continued with their attacking play particularly through substitutes, Yahuza Bala and Ezekiel Thompson but failed to double the advantage before the game saw some futile pressure play from the visitors in the closing stages.
In the end the Sunshine Stars secured their third straight home win of the season, one which moved the Akure Landlords into the top four of the NPFL log with 11 points from six matches.
Sunshine Stars next face champions, Plateau United in Jos on Sunday in one of the match day seven pairings.
In a post match interview a satisfied Sunshine Stars captain, Sunday Abe was quick to highlight the progress made by his team in the games played in the opening month of the new campaign.
_”We thank God almighty for the victory. In the last couple of matches we have conceded so little it shows we are already making progress. We will go back to the drawing board still to make sure we score more goals._
_”We still have to play with more confidence so as to achieve our objective.”_ Abe concluded.
