By Dayo Awoniyi
Sunshine Stars kept their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) survival hopes alive with a dramatic 2-0 victory over Katsina United on Matchday 35, thanks to a late double from striker Waheed Adebayo.
The crucial win at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Ode lifts the Owena Whales to 41 points, offering a glimmer of hope in their fight against relegation as the season nears its end. They now sit 19th on the league table with three games remaining.
After a cagey first half filled with missed chances from both sides, Adebayo broke the deadlock in the 86th minute and sealed the victory with a second goal deep into stoppage time (90+3’), sending the home crowd into celebration.
Sunshine Stars head coach Abubakar Bala praised his team’s resilience and tactical discipline in overcoming a determined Katsina United side.
“We knew it would be tough, but the boys stayed focused and executed the plan. Every match from here is a final,” Bala said post-match.
Goalkeeper Emma Offori, who produced a string of key saves to preserve the clean sheet, credited the backline and coaching crew for the team’s resurgence.
Adebayo, the hero of the day, said he is motivated to keep pushing until the final whistle of the season.
“We’re not giving up. We’ll fight to the end,” he told reporters.
Sunshine Stars next face South-West rivals Shooting Stars in a high-stakes derby at the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
