How Akwa United defeated hapless Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars of Ibadan were far from being impressive this evening May 22 as the team lost 0 – 2 to Akwa United at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
A very shambolic defending by the team’s captain Seun Akinyemi cost 3sc the first goal as early as the 8th minute when Friday Ubong easily tapped the ball in to put the hosts ahead.
Another poor defending allowed Cyril Olisema slot home to the far corner as Akwa United deservedly won the tie 2 – 0. The Oluyole Warriors have their goalkeeper Fabiyi Emmanuel to thank as the scoreline would have been more.
Read our minute-by-minute coverage of the encounter below.
It is another big weekend in the Nigerian Professional Football League and the headline match for today will go down at the beautiful Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, where home-boys Akwa United will clash with Shooting Stars (3sc) of Ibadan.
An Akwa United player
The gates at the venue for today’s encounter has been thrown open for free to enable Uyo residents cheer their team to victory.
If previous results are to go by, the hosts should get the maximum three points as the home team between these two have won in their last six meetings.
Line ups:
Akwa Utd: 18. Bassey Akpan; 6. Nnamso Edo, 33. Samuel Okon, 11. Harrison Ibukun, 5. Paterne Kounnou, 35. Godspower Igudia, 7. Friday Ubong, 26. Cyril Olisema, 17. Ekong Franklyn, 10. Aniekan Ekpe, 14. Ubong Ekpai
Shooting Stars: 1. Emmanuel Fabiyi; 27. Seun Akinyemi, 34. Omololu Waheed, 22. James Moses, 17. Osawe Alaba, 13. Suraj Sodiq, 14. Najeem Olukokun, 2. Muyiwa Lawal, 7. Kabir Umar, 12. Cletus Itodo, 25. Tope Orelope
93′ Referee signals the end of the match. Shooting Stars were probably were not ready for this game as it looked so easy for the hosts. It ended; Akwa United 2 – o Shooting Stars.
90′ Three minutes added-on. Can the ‘Oluyole Warriors’ at least get a goal here?
87′ Nnomso Ogbonna takes the place of the hard working Tope Orelope, as the visitors make another change.
84′ Najeem Olukokun with a superb dash into the Akwa United area, the assistant referee raises the flag to signal an offside position.
81′ Sunday Adetunji has come on to replace KabirUmar, as Shooting Stars make a change.
80′ Very good defending by Nnamso Edo who clears the danger.
77′ The hosts are beginning to dominate possession yet again; trying to get a third goal, with the latest effort cleared.
74′ Referee books Nnamso Edo for a foul on Waheed Omololu.
70′ Emeka Isaac replaces Aniekan Ekpe, as the hosts make another change.
68′ Friday Ubong with another wasted opportunity. The ball was gifted to him by Olisema, but Ubong blasted the ball over the mar, to the uproar of the home fans.
65′ What a missed opportunity. Kabir Umar missed a begging chance after goalkeeper Bassey Akpan fumbled the ball to his legs. That should have been a goal.
62′ Shooting Stars’ latest effort earns them a freekick deep inside the Akwa United half.
58′ Ubong Ekpai has been very impressive in this fixture. The Dream Team VI player has had five ‘electric’ shots in this game, with one on target.
55′ Delicious move by Ubong Ekpai whose cross was not properly connected to by Friday Ubong. That should have been the third goal.
54′ Dangerous clearance! Nnamso Edo heads the ball into touch for a 3sc corner. That was very risky as he could have turned the ball into his own net.
53′ Shooting Stars have really improved their game since the start of the second half.
50′ Samuel Okon comes off for Effiong as Akwa United make the first change.
48′ Cletus Itodo with a very very poor corner kick. Shooting Stars have not really been impressive in this particular encounter.
46′ The visitors restart this game. Akwa United insist winning is their culture.
HT’ Referee blows the end of the first forty-five minutes and Akwa United go into the dressing room with a comfortable two-goal lead.
45′ Danger man Ubong Ekpai continues to navigate the Shooting Stars defense; his reverse pass to Aniekan Ekpe was blasted over the bar. Two minutes added-on.
42′ Chance for Shooting Stars to get a goal here….. Bassey Akpan saves. That is more like it by the visitors. That was their first shot of the game.
39′ The ‘wall’ does its job as Nnamso Edo strikes poorly. Ubong Ekpai’s eventual cross goes way over the bar.
38′ Akwa United with another chance here. The hosts win a freekick right at the edge of the Shooting Stars danger area.
34′ FOUL! referee penalises Nnamso Edo for a foul on Kabir Umar, and awards a freekick to the visitors.
31′ GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! Cyril Olisema makes it two for the hosts. That was too easy for the player.
28′ Olukokun Najeem surges forward again, tries to force his way into the area…., but somehow, he got dispossessed.
25′ Tope Orelope with a shot. That was a poor shot by the Shooting Stars player.
20′ Franklyn Ekong with another powerful shot from about 30-yards-out; the ball sails wide.
17′ Another great shot by Ubong Ekpai, whose strike was perfectly parried over the bar by goalkeeper Emmanuel Fabiyi.
13′ 3sc of Ibadan are searching desperately for an equaliser. However, they allowed themselves to concede that early goal.
10′ Shooting Stars have been far from impressive today. However, the Oluyole Warriors can not be written off in this fixture.
8′ GOOOOOAAAAALLL! Friday Ubong scores following a very shambolic defending by Seun Akinyemi of Shooting Stars.
3′ Great attempt by Ubonk Ekpai whose shot sails just wide. Emmanuel Famiyi with a great dive. This match promises to be explosive.
1′ Here we go. It is Akwa United with the kick-off. The host look very relaxed.
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