Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) came from a goal down to beat Doma United 3-1 in a Nigeria Premier Football League match-day five clash played in Ibadan on Sunday, www.aclsports.com reports.
Former Nasarawa United defender Nelson Abiam handed the visitors the lead in the 8th minute after his freekick took a wicked deflection to beat 3SC goalkeeper Darlintin Ovunda. Gbenga Ogunbote’s side then got back on level terms through Gbolagade Adelowo from the spot before an excellent second-half performance that produced goals from substitutes Mumuni Abdulkareem and Gideon Monday secured a third successive home win of the season.
3SC started this NPFL game on the front foot and should been ahead after forward Adams Mustapha turned his marker in the box, only for goalkeeper Kingdom Osayi to deny him with a strong stop. At the other end, Akinade Onigbinde’s side went in front from a freekick from Abiam.
The Oluyole Warriors were finding it difficult to create chances against the resolute defence of the visitors and were made to resort to strikes from a distance. However, Midfielder Raheem Quadry could not get his effort on goal when he had the opportunity by firing high and wide of the mark.
With halftime approaching, a long searching ball from Gbolagade was well controlled by marauding fullback Taiye Muritala before the latter was brought down by a Doma United defender in the box. From the spot-kick, Gbolagade sent Kingdom the wrong way to even the score.
In search of all three points, Gbenga Ogunbote introduced Mumuni and Abdullahi Lawal in place of Raheem and Adams before the start of the second half and it turned out to be a masterstroke. Abdullahi got Shooting Stars ticking in midfield as they continued to mount pressure, while Mumuni was a constant threat each time he got on the ball.
On one of those occasions, Mumuni received a pass from Muritala and dribbled his way past a couple of challenges before firing into the bottom left corner with his left foot to put his side into the lead for the first time. In stoppage time, Kingdom’s hand was not good enough as he could only parry Monday’s effort into the net in stoppage time for a 3-1 lead to 3SC.
By virtue of the win, 3SC go joint-top of the NPFL log with Rangers after five rounds of matches in the 2023/24 season.
On match day six, the Oluyole Warriors will be guests of Remo Stars in a South-West derby in Ikenne on Wednesday.
Other results
Insurance 0-0 Akwa Utd
Rangers 4-1 Kano Pillars
Gombe Utd 1-0 Plateau Utd
3SC 3-1 Doma Utd
Rivers Utd 1-0 Lobi
Katsina Utd 3-2 Sunshine Stars
Abia Warriors 1-0 Heartland
Bayelsa Utd 2-1 Kwara Utd
Sporting Lagos 2-1 Tornadoes
Enyimba P-P Remo Stars
