By Tunde Liadi
Sunshine Stars head coach Deji Ayeni believes that the massive away win recorded by his team against Heartland FC in Owerri on Sunday night could be a turning point in their quest to retain a place in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Ifegwu Ojukwu’s 60th-minute stunning lob over stranded Heartland goalie, Chijioke Ejiogu gave Sunshine Stars their third victory in the last five games and Ayeni was elated to record their second away win of the season.
“I’m very happy and elated because it wasn’t an easy game. Heartland is a club with a rich story in Nigerian football and coupled with a lot of things the club is going through and including what we are going through,” Ayeni told www.npfl.ng.
The coach praised his players’ fighting spirits after they held on to record the crucial victory despite the series of pressure mounted on the team by Heartland FC especially in the last 10 minutes of the game.
He charged his players to seek improvement in their subsequent games to ensure they consolidate on the vital away win as they get to the concluding end of the season.
Ayeni has engineered a remarkable resurgence at Sunshine Stars that went through funding challenges culminating in their 17 game winless streak and he has now challenged the team to sustain the momentum when Kano Pillars visit Akure this weekend.
“I believe that the boys played according to the tactics and It worked. The resurgence of Sunshine Stars is a thing of joy to all and I believe we are going to consolidate in our subsequent matches,” Ayeni continued.
“A lot of things changed. First of all, when I came on board I made them to understand that it is not a precarious situation and that it was still redeemable, achievable, and amendable. The only thing is that we just have to bring our mindset back and get our winning-oriented mentality.
“You can see that the boys believed in themselves and the resurgence was no fluke. I spoke to them and told them to get over the phobia of the 17 matche winless streak in both home and away games and we started from scratch. The result is what you are all seeing now.”
On the chances of Kano Pillars who visit the Ondo Sports Complex, Akure next in a Week 32 fixture this weekend, the Owena Whales gaffer describes the fixture as a tough encounter but he tips his boys to beat Sai Masu Gida if they can play to instructions form the beginning to the end.
“No team is invincible and all that you need to do is to be ready and play according to your match plan and everything will work in your favour,” Ayeni concluded.
Going into the game which was delayed by three hours to 7.00 pm because of the heavy downpour at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Heartland FC head coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu made wholesome changes to the squad that was battered 3-0 in Makurdi by Lobi Stars. He picked only four of the players that faced the Pride of Benue on Wednesday in his starting 11 with Austine Opara, Jimoh Gbadamosi, Chijioke Opara, and Chijioke Akuneto making the list.
But Sunshine Stars tactician, Deji Ayeni named an unchanged lineup to the same team that pipped Wikki Tourists in Akure midweek.
Both teams started the game fast-paced with Heartland FC having more of the chances in the opening exchanges while the Owena Whales seemed to have a plan to stifle the Naze Millionaires’ attack by ensuring that they gained control of all second ball situations.
Heartland relied heavily on the set-piece ingenuity of right-back, Uche Oguchi and his freekicks in the 16th and 47th minutes troubled Sunshine’s defence of Habib Yakubu and Kehinde Adeyemi. Adachi drew a fantastic save from goalie Soliu Suleiman in the 47th minute off Oguchi’s crisp freekick. The goaltender spilled the initial effort before he dived to make a save at the second time of asking before Kelechi Chimezie could pounce.
The home team needed a big tackle from Jimoh Gbadamosi to make a last-ditch interception to halt Ojukwu who was goal bound in the ninth minute while Sadeeq Yusuf who was a constant threat to Heartland had his shot blocked and saved by Pascal Eze and goalie Chijioke Ejiogu in the 24th and 29th minutes.
The moment of the day came in the 60th minute through Ojukwu who noticed that the Naze Millionaires’ goaltender, Ejiogu was off his line and he decided to lob the ball over the goalkeeper and it rested at the back of the net for the shock goal in Owerri.
Heartland almost equalised two minutes later and in the 75th minute but impressive and workaholic defender, Pascal Eze, and Chijioke Akuneto were unable to properly measure their shots towards the net.
The home team played the final 10 minutes in the half of the visitors with series of bombardments of the ball into Sunshine Stars’ goal area but goalie Suleiman and the defence stood tall as the centre referee ended proceedings after 95 minutes of the enthralling and entertaining fixture in Owerri.
What does this mean?
The crucial away win meant Sunshine Stars have left the relegation zone for the first time in recent months with 33 points from 31 games. They are 16th on the log and are only out of the drop zone by superior goals difference over 17th placed Jigawa Golden Stars who play Nasarawa United in Lafia on Monday evening.
While Heartland FC remain in the 12th spot with 41 points from 31 games.
Heartland FC will travel to Uyo to be guests of Dakkada FC this weekend after their midweek Aiteo Cup clash with Ekiti United at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin while Sunshine Stars have an Aiteo Cup second round date on Wednesday with Kogi United before welcoming Kano Pillars to Akure on Sunday in their next league tie.
Heartland FC Team List
1. Chijioke Ejiogu (Gk),14. Oguchi Uche (7. Chibundu Amah, 78′,
17. Amaefule Chizoba, 6. Pascal Eze (c),
34. Opara Austine, 4. Jimoh Gbadamosi,
29. Opara Chijioke (11. Kingsley Maduforo, 50′), 31. Kelechi Chimezie,
19. Akuneto Chijioke, 24. Aputazie Ugochukwu, 36. Adachi Emmanuel (38. Chijioke Mbaoma, 78′)
Unused Substitutes
15. Esomchi Ekwujuru, 23. Ikenna Agozie
33. Monday Yakubu, 21. Igwe Igweuzo, 37. Akanimo Edinaebong, 26. Okorie Arinze
Yellow Cards: Pascal Eze, 64′
Coach: Fidelis Ilechukwu
Sunshine Stars Team List
21. Saliu Suleiman, 2. Emmanuel James,
4. Habib Yakubu, 9. Sadeeq Yusuf,
12. Kehinde Adeyemi, 13. Babatunde Bello, 14. Ibrahim Ajani (8. Kolade Adeniji, 52′), 16. Uzoechi Ejike, 25. Kehinde Adedipe (30. Ugonna Uzochukwu, 52′), 31. Ifegwu Ojukwu, 32. Fuad Ekelojuoti (C) ( 5.Wale Abisoye, 90+1′)
Unused Substitutes
22. Henry Ayodele, 6. Seun Olulayo, 7. Tolu Oluwole, 24. Ayo Akinlose,
26. Edozie Ewelike, 39. Michael Olalusi
Yellow Cards: Ajani Ibrahim, 21′, Kehinde Adedipe, 45+3′, Soliu Suleiman, 69′, and, Habib Yakubu, 88′
Goal: Ifegwu Ojukwu, 60′
Man of the Match: Ifegwu Ojukwu
Coach: Deji Ayeni
