- Seun Akinyemi And Nojeem Olukokun Score To Move Home Team Out Of Relegation
Two weeks after the collapse of Shooting Stars Sports Club’s vice captain, Ebiaku Promise during the match against Enyimba FC, another similar occurrence was averted on Sunday evening in the team’s 2-1 win over Gombe United in one of the Week 33 NPFL fixtures at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Ibadan.
This time, it was one of the members of the club’s supporters identified as Awwal Mohammed. Awwal, also as one of the accredited home steward fainted immediately after Gombe United had taken the lead on the 54th minute of the game.
Substitute Joseph Onoja had taken a shot from about 25 yards to beat badly positioned Adamu Abubakar to his right and silence the once vociferous home fans.
In apparent shock and disbelief, Awwal collapsed and fainted beside his colleagues who were also stunned by the goal.
If not for the timely intervention of security personnel who kept their eyes on the stand, and few of the fans who noticed his fall among his friends and quickly rushed to his aid, this could have been another disaster.
Awwal was taken out to the sideline and given proper medical attention that revived him. Shooting Stars took the initiatives right from the start but the visitors’ defensive cover was resolute, kept the attacking forays of Ajani Ibrahim, Abu Azeez, Wasiu Jimoh in checks while Gombe United goalie Hamed Yussuf was at his best with some daring saves.
At a time, Gombe United resorted into more physical game to tame 3SC’s midfield trio of Ayobami Junior, Tayo Adebogun and Adebayo Abayomi.
This attracted the referee’s constant verbal warming and free kicks that prompted their officials to encroach the pitch to harass the officials. The first half ended without any goal from either side.
The second half commenced with Gombe United coming into the game with more rigour and also deadly incursions and it was one of those that brought their goal at the 54th minute.
The three changes made by Fatai Amoo added pep to the attack and this resulted to the two goals that were scored in 12 minutes.
Najeem Olukokun came in for Wasiu Jimoh, Sunday Faleye for Tayo Adebogun while Abu Azeez left for fit-again Jide Apena.
Apena’s first touch on the ball saw him towards the goal and he was kicked in the box for a penalty call which was neatly converted by Seun Akinyemi in the 74th minute of the encounter.
Spurred by the equalizer, the Oluyole Warriors kept the heats on Gombe United defence with more forays into the vital areas, the resultant corner kick from one of those successive attacks resulted in a corner kick taken straight into the path of Olukokun who blasted in a volley inside the visitors’ six yard box to secure the three maximum points.
The win was a vital one for Shooting Stars and has taken the team out of the relegation zone.
With 5 matches to the end of the season, players and officials of Oluyole Warriors are still hopeful that their team will retain its premier league status at the end of the season.
Packaged by Olanrewaju Agiri
