Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, on Sunday, fought from a goal down to defeat Gombe United Football Club 2-1 in the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
In the Match Day 3 fixture at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, the hosts fought back through team captain Taofeek Malomo’s brace to secure the game’s full points.
Bala Aliko had handed the visitors the lead after nine minutes, when his lift from the right side to the far side wrong-footed the goalkeeper.
The goal spurred the Gombe United side into probing for more goals, after having struggled to contain the hosts’ opening minutes offensive blitz.
But the hosts, feeling the impact of the reduction in the deafening noise which had earlier accompanied their every touch, braced up to the challenge to push the visitors back.
While they were wasteful with a number of scoring chances they had, the reshuffling of their offensive line in the second half rejuvenated their attack.
Malomo, who was by now spearheading all offensive moves, was on hand in the 54th minute to draw his team level with a low shot to Mumini Abdulkareem’s pass.
The game did become a ding-dong affair thereafter, as both sides probed for more goals but they were not clinical with their finishing.
As the hosts kept on applying the pressure, it was just fitting that it was the team captain again that finished off an incursion.
He scored with a low volley in the goal area in the 89th minute to secure their second consecutive home win and their second win from three games.
Gbenga Ogunbote, the 3SC Head Coach, while speaking during the post-match interview session, said his team was going to get better with their finishing with time.
”We had a good number of chances that could have given us the win earlier, but just like other teams too, we will get better later as the competition progresses,” he said.
The coach said his team was still a work in progress and he and his technical crew colleagues would work more to ensure they get a good result on Match Day 4.
On his part, Baba Ganaru of Gombe United said his team was still struggling to blend and play the way he wanted.
”I joined this team just about three weeks to the commencement of the league, and met on ground only a few players. I have since then been building a new team.
”But I assure that we will get better with time and very soon,” he said.
