Head coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club, 3SC, of Ibadan, Edith Agoye has revealed how the need to allow the team’s highest scorer, Sunday Faleye recovered fully from the injury he sustained during the home game against ABS of Ilorin made the club to put the teenager on the bench.
He spoke during the post match reaction to www.3sc.com.ng after their 2-0 win over visit Wikki Tourists of Bauchi on Sunday in Ibadan in the week 27 tie of the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL).
According to Agoye: ”Sunday scored against ABS but he has not really recovered from injury he got from the game! He was on the bench today and we couldn’t bring him in because we got what we wanted early and we have to let him recover well.” He explained.
This is just as he said the club will fight the relegation battle to the last for survival.
He also expressed happiness over the team’s recent forms which he believed would help it to survive the drop.
” For sometime, things have not been working well but now the team is evolving and the last four games have given us some stability. We are happy for the three points.”
We are taking the game as they come and we won’t relent till the last game.
Ajani Ibrahim and Bode Daniel had scored on 29′ and 45′ to check the fight spirit of the the visitors and buoyed the chances of Shooting Stars to escape the drop.
Shooting Stars started the game on a fast note with smallish duo, Ayobami Junior and Ibrahim Shile pulling the strings from the midfield.
Their efforts were complemented by Ajani Ibrahim, Bode Daniel and Jimoh Wasiu who kept the heats on the tall defence line of Wikki Tourists.
With the constant raids, goalkeeper Emeka Nwabulu, despite the good cover from his defence quartets of Festus Ummanah, Waziri Christopher, Harrison Madu and Ambrose Peter, had to make some daring saves from their rampaging hosts.
But it was not all a one-sided affair as Wikki Tourists too made some dangerous incursions with promising Victor Alegbe.
Alegbe combined well with the duo of Ajoku Chidiebere and Chinedu Onyelonu to bring out the best in Waheed Omololu, Ebiaku Promise, Samuelson Owono and Alaba Osawe in the heart of Shooting Stars defence and goalkeeper Adamu Abubakar.
However, Ajani’s goal on 29′ gave the homers some respite. Wasiu Jimoh free kick was cleared for corner which he shortly took before Ajani jabbed into the left side of impressive goalie Emeka Nwabulu.
The second goal was in similar manner as Emeka parried a corner into to the path of trailing Bode Daniel who tapped it in on 45′ while the second have could not produce more goals despite the fireworks from the two teams.
In his own reaction, Coach Magnut blamed his side for not converting their chances with high regards for the referees.
“The result wasn’t what we expected but we must give it to 3SC, they took their chances. The officiating was excellent and the goals were good.”
Magnut however expressed hope that Wikki Tourists continental aspiration is still intact.
“We still need to step up in our remaining games, only six points separate the leaders from us, so, our continental dream is not over yet,” he concluded.
