Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure began their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season with a commanding 3-0 win against Bayelsa United on Sunday at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
The match saw Sunshine Stars take control early, with forward Seidu Salisu opening the scoring just before halftime. In the 44th minute, Salisu capitalized on an assist from Promise Awosanmi to put the home side ahead.
The second half continued to favor Sunshine Stars, as Awosanmi scored directly from a free kick in the 54th minute, extending their lead to 2-0.
The final goal came from Stephen Chuckwudi, who made a decisive impact after coming off the bench. Chuckwudi sealed the victory with a clinical finish in the 90th minute, putting the final score at 3-0.
In his post-match comments, Sunshine Stars’ head coach, Kennedy Boboye, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, despite the inclusion of several new players. Boboye noted, “I am happy with the win. Most of the players are new to the club, and it’s good to see them adapt quickly. Our target is to eventually play at the continental level. We are not there yet, but we are working towards it by applying what we practiced during training.”
On the other hand, Bayelsa United’s head coach, Ladan Bosso, acknowledged the need for improvement following the match. Bosso reflected on the game, stating, “The game has come and gone, but we have learned some valuable lessons. We identified areas where we need to improve. Many of my players are new recruits, and we need to work on their integration with the rest of the team to achieve better results.”
The victory for Sunshine Stars sets a positive tone for their season, while Bayelsa United will look to address their challenges as they continue their campaign.
