By Wale Mustapha
Lobi Stars have been struck by a significant injury setback as three key first-team players have been ruled out of their upcoming Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash with Sunshine Stars.
The Pride of Makurdi will travel to Ijebu-Ode for their Matchday 12 fixture against the Owena Whales at the Dipo Dina Stadium, but they will have to contend without experienced goalkeeper Itodo Akor, defender Moses Tsehuan, and forward Tiza Samuel, all of whom are sidelined due to injuries sustained in the lead-up to the match.
Despite the absences, Lobi Stars’ young goalkeeper Segun Oloruntoba is expected to retain his position between the sticks.
Oloruntoba was instrumental in Lobi Stars’ dramatic comeback victory over Abia Warriors last week in Lafia, and the club will be hoping he can replicate that form in the absence of Akor.
The loss of these key players is a major blow for Lobi Stars, but they will be looking to overcome the challenges as they aim to secure a positive result against Sunshine Stars.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
