Sunshine Stars’ battle for survival in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has been anything but easy.
With their home matches played away from their traditional base, the club has faced relentless setbacks and struggles in NPFL, Footballrover reports.
Head coach Bala Abubakar has now opened up about the difficulties, revealing how playing without their home support has forced the team to “dig deep” just to stay competitive.
FA Cup victory provides temporary relief
Despite their league struggles, Sunshine Stars secured a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Bako FC in the FA Cup at Rashidi Yekini Stadium, Ilorin.
Speaking after the game, Coach Abubakar acknowledged the ongoing challenges but insisted his team would fight to the finish.
“We’ve had a tough season so far, and playing away from our traditional home ground has made things even harder,” he admitted as quoted by Adexsports. “Without our fans, we’ve had to exert double the effort, but we are ready to push until the very end.”
Abubakar also highlighted how the FA Cup match exposed his players to different tactical aspects that could prove beneficial in their NPFL campaign.
He remains determined to surpass his past achievements in the Challenge Cup, using this victory as a stepping stone.
Another setback in NPFL as Sunshine Stars fall to Bendel Insurance
However, Sunshine Stars were unable to carry their FA Cup momentum into the league, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Bendel Insurance in Benin.
Kayode Oke’s stunning 22-metre strike in the 22nd minute proved to be the difference, as Insurance held firm despite Sunshine Stars creating multiple chances.
Stephen Chukwude came agonisingly close to an equaliser in the 67th minute, only to see his effort crash against the crossbar.
The visitors kept pushing, but the insurance goalkeeper denied them at every turn, securing all three points for the home side.
Chief Coach of the Owena Whales, Bobola Akinfolarin, remained defiant after the match, emphasising that the team would keep fighting.
“We were just unlucky. We created so many chances but couldn’t convert. Our opponents had one opportunity, and it decided the game. But we will keep pushing till the end,” he stated.
The Akure Gunners now sit 19th on the table with 33 points from 30 matches, having secured just nine wins from 30 league matches, suffered 15 defeats, and drawn six.
Their next challenge comes later today against Heartland at their makeshift home ground, where they will look to turn their fortunes around.
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