Defending champions, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan started their campaign in the second edition of the Dapo Abiodun Pre-season tournament on a good note, mauling FC Nilayo of Abeokuta 5-1.
Three goals in the first half and two more in the second, were enough for the Oluyole Warriors to confirm their superiority over the hard-fighting Nilayo FC who got their only goal in the second half.
Eager to make a statement about their readiness to defend the trophy they won in a fashionable manner last year, the Edith Agoye tutored lads swooped on their opponent right from the blast of the referee’s whistle.
The game played at Pitch 1 of the Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, was barely ten seconds old when power striker, Gafar Olafimihan opened the floodgate of goals.
Defender Abbey Benson made it two, nodding home in the 25th minute before skipper Omololu Waheed converted a 39th-minute penalty kick to increase the tally, thus ending the first half 3-0.
Not willing to go down without a fight, the Abeokuta-based side came into the second half with force and they were rewarded in the 59th minute when Job Osamudiemen reduced the tally.
Stunned by the goal, Shooting Stars raised their game, taking the fight to the opponent, who also increased their tempo, battling hard to curtail the Ibadan soccer lords.
Efforts by Nilayo to score more goals were thwarted on a number of occasions by goalkeeper Charles Tambe, who put up an impressive performance between the sticks
Shooting Stars’ three goals lead was restored in the 65th minute through defender, Abbey Benson, who became the first player in the competition to score a brace.
Gangling Mohammed Mohammed came off the bench to seal the game for the Oluyole Warriors with a superb finish in the 85th minute of the entertaining encounter.
With the comprehensive win, Shooting Stars assume leadership of the Group C of the competition with three points followed by Kwara United and Remo Stars who shared the second position with a point each, having played out a 1-1 draw in the opening match on Tuesday.
Nilayo occupies the rear with no point in their kitty.
The next round of matches in the group holds on Thursday morning, with Kwara Unite confronting FC Nilayo at 7am while 3SC face Remo Stars at 9 am. Both games hold inside the Mainbowl of the Dipo Dina Stadium.
3SC XI
Charles Tambe
Muritala Taiwo
Amodu. Nurudeen
Omololu Waheed
Abbey. Benson
Abayomi Adebayo
Raheem. Qadry
Ibrahim Salau
Opeoluwa Olufemi
Chinedu. Enuademu
Gafar Olafimihan
Subs used
Ana’s Muhammed
Stanley Worlu
Sadiq. Awujoola
Mohammed Mohammed
 of Ibadan started their campaign in the second edition of the Dapo Abiodun Pre-season tournament){kind=link}