…Seun and Olukokun score as home team moves out of relegation
Two weeks after the collapse of Shooting Stars 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 club identified as Awwal Mohammed.
Awwal, also as one of the accredited home stewards fainted immediately after Gombe United had taken the lead on the 54th minute of the game.
Substitute Joseph Onoja has taken a shot from about 25 yard to beat badly positioned Adamu Abubakar to his right and silenced the once vociferous home fans.
In an apparent shock and disbelief, Awwal collapsed and fainted beside his colleagues who were also stunned by the goal.
Save for the security personnel who kept their eyes on the stand and few of the fans who noticed his fall among his friends; this could have been another casualty.
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 resulted into more physical game to tame the Shooting’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 sides.
Second half commenced with Gombe United coming into the game with more rigours and also deadly incursions and it was one of those that brought their goal at 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 first touch on the ball saw him towards the goal and he was kicked in the box for a penalty call, 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 six yard box to secure the three maximum points.
The win was a vital one for the Oluyole Warriors which has taken the team out of the relegation zone.
With 5 matches remaining to the end of the season. The hope is high that the team will retain its premier league status at the end of the season.
