By Saheed Afolabi
Shooting Stars goalkeeper, Mustapha Lawal, has forecast a challenging second round of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) for his side.
The Oluyole Warriors shot-stopper played a key role in the team’s remarkable five-match unbeaten run in December, during which they kept a clean sheet in every game.
Lawal anticipates that the second round of the NPFL season will present tougher challenges, but he is confident that his teammates are prepared for the difficulties ahead.
“We expect a more challenging second round, but we will be ready to give it all it takes,” Lawal told 3SC.
He added, “Sure, there will be more challenges for us in the second round, but we will also be well prepared for it and I believe God will see us through.”
The in-form goalkeeper also expressed pride in his stellar record of nine clean sheets in the first round, which has fueled his excitement for the upcoming challenges.
“I feel very, very excited, and I thank God for this. It has been God, there is no other magic behind it other than God,” Lawal said.
Shooting Stars ended the first round of the 2024/2025 NPFL season in third place with 33 points from 19 matches.
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.
