MFM FC produced a resolute away performance to force a goalless result away at Sunshine Stars on Wednesday.
Both teams came into the Southwest derby in contrasting form. Sunshine Stars were without a win in their previous 15 league matches while the Olukoya Boys had not lost in their previous four games.
The match got off to an enthusiastic start as both teams worked their opposing goalkeeper within the opening two minutes. Frederick Obomate almost curled in a direct corner kick in the first minute of action but goalkeeper Adeniji Bamidele was alert to the danger. The resulting attack from MFM FC ended with Sunshine Stars goalkeeper, David Ariyo, comfortably saving a pile driver from Clement Ogwu.
The early exchange settled quickly as Jide Jimoh and Tosin Olubobola became a menace for the defense of MFM FC and Sunshine Stars respectively. While Jimoh was winning every aerial duels upfront for Sunshine Stars, Olubobola was busy stretching the defense of the host with his mazy runs. However, the closest effort to a breakthrough in the first half came from set piece. Frederick Obomate won a foul at the edge of MFM FC’s box and Emmanuel James stepped up to send the resulting freekick just wide off target.
Sunshine Stars came into the second half with more intent after head coach Gbenga Ogunbote had made three changes within minutes after the restart. One of the new entrants, Sunday Emmanuel, set up overlapping right back Sunday Abe whose shot came off the upright for a goal kick.
The visitors were afterwards made to weather a heavy wave of Sunshine’s attacks with intermittent counter attacks and one of such forward thrusts almost resulted to a goal. Barely seconds after coming off the bench, Chimezie Uzochukwu was found by Olubobola Tolu’s precise pass but the substitute failed to beat David Ariyo in a one-on-one situation.
But it was Ebenezer Odeyemi who could have sealed a famous away win for the visitors if he had kept his composure after skipping past two defenders but his shot crawled horribly wide from eight yards out.
Both sides eventually fired blank and the result left Sunshine Stars without a win in 16 consecutive league matches.
Speaking to www.npfl.ng after the game, Ogunbote acknowledged that his team is struggling to deal with the mounting pressure exerted by the winless streak.
“The boys have had a number of games and they have not won. This is affecting their confidence. I try to psyche them up but the confidence level has dropped very low,” he said.
MFM FC are now unbeaten in their four games since the restart and head coach Gabriel Olalekan believes the team is benefiting from the mid-season break.
“The team has changed its philosophy and pattern of play. This is because the coaches worked very hard with the team during the break. We played very well today and could have gotten the three poibts,” he told NPFL.ng.
FT: Sunshine 0-0 MFM FC #SUNMFM
Match Stats
Shots on: 3-4
Shots off: 6-2
Corners: 7-3
Fouls: 12-19
Offside: 1-5
Yellow card: 1-1
Red card: 0-0
SUNSHINE STARS XI vs MFM FC
1. David Ariyo
2. Emmanuel James
3. Isiaka Oladuntoye
9. Sadeeq Yusuf
10. Sunday Abe
17. Waheed Adebayo (Fuad 51′)
25. Kehinde Adedipe (Emmanuel 51′)
28. Fredrick Obomate (Adejubu 75′)
30. Uzochukwu Ugonna (Yakub 81′)
33. Jamiu Alimi (YC 56′)
34. Jide Jimoh (Ifegwu 51′)
SUBS
22. Henry Ayodele
4. Habib Yakub
5. Olawale Abisoye
6. Seun Olulayo
14. Ajani Ibrahim
20. Sunday Emmanuel
31. Ifegwu Ojukwu
32. Fuad Ekelojuoti
36. Ayo Adejubu
Sunshine Stars vs MFM FC XI #SUNMFM
16. Adeniyi Bamidele (YC 40′)
3. Adeyinka Najeem
14. Emiloju Julius
34. Adigwu Moses
32. Adebayo Alimi
4. Barty legbara
23. Atobasi Imeh (Ebenezer 56′)
35. Kenedinum Nelson (Onyebuchi 89′)
12. Olubobola Tosin (Aminu 89′)
7. Adeniji Adewole (Amoo 56′)
18. Ogwu Clement (Chimezie 64′)
SUBS
33. Osayi kingdom
2. Oshomo Olalekan
31. Ifeanyi Onyebuchi
17. Chimezie izuchukwu
9. Odeyemi Ebenezer
26. Amoo mumuni
20. Aminu Azeez
