Sunshine Stars were beaten 1-0 in Calabar by former champions, Enyimba International but Coach of the Akure Gunners, Kayode Olujohungbe had only praises for his players for executing their match plan to the letter.
Olujohungbe said after the game that he was angry his side lost but was not angry with his players.
“My team actually played according to plan and that is why I am not happy we lost.
“We played according to plan and it was just that moment where they lost concentration that the goal came.”
“We played well and we will just have to continue doing what we are doing in subsequent games,” he said.
For Gbenga Ogunbote who was having his first competitive game on the dugout with Enyimba, the seeming struggle of the People’s Elephant to win the fixture can be attributed to the mechanics of building a new team in a new environment.
Ogunbote told www.npfl.ng that his team struggled because it is a completely new side he is working with.
“You can see the players we listed are very different from the team you saw last season. It has been very difficult working up a new team because it is a work in progress but we are happy with the win,” Ogunbote said.
After a very disappointing 2015/16 League season, Enyimba started the new campaign on a bright note winning 1-0 against Sunshine Stars in Calabar.
The goal, a 21st minute effort from Ibrahim Mustapha whose innocuous effort from the edge of the box surprisingly beat Ojo Olorunleke in goal for Sunshine Stars saw Enyimba go one goal up and eventually win the game.
Before Mustapha struck, Enyimba could have easily been 3-0 up as Mfon Udoh had a chance on the 17th minute when Samuel Chukwude beat the offside trap and crossed to him but his tame header was saved by the goalkeeper.
But as soon as the hosts scored, it seemed Sunshine Stars shook off their lethargy as Alaba Adeniyi got a chance to draw level in the 29th minute giving Theophilus Afelokhai the option of punching his shot out for a corner.
It was Alaba Adeniyi again two minutes later who turned provider as his cross to Samad Kadiri was volleyed wide.
Enyimba, however tried to end the first half on a high as Chukwude almost made it two in the 42nd minute but his header off a corner was saved off the line by Kelechi Ogor.
A minute later, Stanley Dimgba beat the off side trap, found space in the Sunshine Stars box but shot tamely at Olorunleke.
Chukwude was the biggest culprit of the half as he latched onto the desperate clearance by Olorunleke in added time but facing a wide gapping net was only able to shoot wide.
Six minutes after the restart, the Enyimba gaffer threw in Ismaila Gata for Chukwude and then it was Sunshine Stars making two changes, Sikiru Babatunde replacing Adeniyi Alaba and Sikiru Alimi going in for Sunday Oluwadare but it was a cagey 2nd half as Enyimba sat back seemingly satisfied with the score line while the visitors found it difficult to break the walls.
Just before Mfon Udoh was replaced with Eric Frimpong he was fouled at the edge of the Sunshine Stars box and picked himself up to take the kick but it went wide.
At a time in the game when it seemed the fans had settled for a 1-0 score line, Ismaila Gata almost changed the figures on the score board in the 89th minute.
He saw Olorunleke was off his line so he tried to curl the ball in from distance, but the keeper stylishly tipped the ball over when half the fans at the stadium thought it was in.
credit: npfl
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