Stephen Chukwude’s 42nd-minute goal was all Sunshine Stars FC of Akure needed to secure a 1-0 victory over Rangers International of Enugu in their match-day six encounter of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), held at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.
The home side dominated the match from the first whistle to the final, consistently pressing Rangers’ defense.
Chukwude, a former player for both Rangers International and Heartland FC, capitalized on a precise pass from Chinedu Nwosu in the 43rd minute, slotting the ball into the top corner of the net.
Despite numerous opportunities, Sunshine Stars went into the break with just a lone goal, unable to convert their clear-cut chances into more goals.
In the second half, the reigning NPFL champions, Rangers International, showed aggression and tried to mount a comeback.
However, Sunshine Stars’ defense, led by their solid backline, successfully neutralized their attempts.
Seeking to extend the lead, Sunshine Stars’ coach introduced Nelson Osahon and Adebayo Abayomi for Adewale Yusuf and Chinedu Nwosu, respectively.
Osahon’s powerful shot from outside the box tested Rangers’ goalkeeper, Lucky Abdullahi, but was skillfully saved.
Further substitutions saw Suraj Ibrahim, Ajagbe Abdulazeez, and Elmer Arunta come on for Dozie Umea, Stephen Chukwude, and Seth Mayi, but the changes were not enough to alter the scoreline.
After the match, Sunshine Stars’ Technical Adviser, Kennedy Boboye, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance but acknowledged the need for improvement in their goal-scoring abilities.
“It was a good game; the most important thing is the three points we have because it’s one game after the other,” Boboye stated. “All we need is just to go back and start working on goal scoring; had we won the game by four to five goals, it would have been well deserved. There is no game we played that we didn’t miss goals since the league program started.”
Sunshine Stars currently sit fourth on the NPFL table and will travel to Ilorin for their next midweek clash against Kwara United
