Shooting Stars Flog Poor Bendel Insurance 3-0 in NPFL/DOXY Super Cup Opener

Shooting Stars Flog Poor Bendel Insurance 3-0 in NPFL/DOXY Super Cup Opener

Ibraheem Lateef Ayodele

Shooting Stars made a meal of arch-rivals Bendel Insurance as they put three goals past the Nigeria National League champions, to get their campaign in the maiden NPFL/DOXY Mmobuosi Super Cup preseason Tournament off to a flying start, reports BSNSports.com.ng.

In the money-juicy tourney first game at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, the coach Gbenga Ogunbote Oluyole Warriors outclassed their opponent, thus making a statement about their readiness to win the 100 million Naira prize-tag championship.

After a cautious start, in which the Benin-based side fought hard to keep 3SC at bay, the Oluyole Warriors soon got into the game, seizing the initiatives midway into the opening half.

They got a deserved opener in the 25th minute via Anthony Okachi who was on hand to slot home a well-laid pass from Joshua Akpan, who found the lurking forward after dashing his way through the Insurance defence.

From there, it was the Oluyole Warriors in the driver's seat but were unlucky not to have added to the tally, even as Okachi's second strike was ruled out for offside.

In the second half, the 3SC technical crew brought their expertise to play with the introduction of Malomo Taofeek, Destiny Ashadi and Samuel Ayanrinde and later, the duo of Ajani Ibrahim and Ayo Adejubu.

The substitution paid off as Malomo delightfully made it 2-0 after he connected home Ajani Ibrahim's pass in the 87th minute.

Ayanrinde put the icing on the cake for the Oluyole Warriors with the third goal two minutes into the added time.

Shooting Stars' next game is a tricky fixture against perennial rivals, Rangers International of Enugu in the second match of Matchday Two, fixed for 10.30 am on Wednesday.