By Ojeakhe Ozoya
The new season of the Nigeria Professional Football League began on a sour note for Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, as they fell to a 1-0 home defeat against a resolute Bayelsa United side in a Matchday one encounter at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba.
The game marked the competitive debut of newly appointed Shooting Stars’ coach, Nurudeen Aweroro, who was tasked with steering the Oluyole Warriors to a brighter season. However, his baptism of fire did not go as planned, as the visitors from Yenagoa proved to be a tough nut to crack.
The decisive moment of the match came in the 30th minute. A corner kick from Bayelsa United was perfectly delivered into the box, and a powerful header from Kehinde Malik found the back of the net, silencing the home crowd. The goal was a testament to the visitors’ attacking prowess from set pieces and their clinical finishing.
Shooting Stars, spurred on by their passionate supporters, mounted several attacks in a bid to find an equalizer. They dominated possession for large spells and created a number of chances, but a combination of poor finishing and a determined Bayelsa United defense ensured the scoreline remained unchanged. The home side’s forwards struggled to convert their opportunities, and the Bayelsa United goalkeeper Clinton Ezekiel was in inspired form, making crucial saves to preserve his clean sheet.
Despite their best efforts, the Oluyole Warriors could not find a way past the visitors. The final whistle brought an end to a frustrating afternoon for Shooting Stars, who will now have to regroup and analyze their performance ahead of their next fixture. For Bayelsa United, the victory is a perfect start to the new campaign and a statement of intent for the season ahead.
