In a comprehensive display of dominance, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan inflicted a 5-1 defeat on Rangers International FC in a pulsating Match Day 38 encounter of the NPFL 2024/2025 season at the Lekan Salami Stadium on Sunday.
The “Oluyole Warriors” truly lived up to their moniker, securing maximum points and bragging rights over their old rivals in a performance that left the visitors reeling.
From the whistle, 3SC, under the guidance of coach Gbenga Ogunbote, wasted no time asserting their authority.
Just two minutes into the encounter, hesitant defending from the Rangers backline allowed Sodiq Ibrahim to unleash a fierce shot from the edge of the box, flashing home to give the home side an early lead.
Despite the early setback, Rangers’ young goalkeeper Ifebuche Emmanuel put in a commendable shift, pulling off a string of splendid saves to thwart further scoring opportunities for the hungry host.
His heroics inspired his teammates, and in the 43rd minute, Rangers found a lifeline as Bashir Usman latched onto a defense-splitting pass from Daniel Onyia, blasting it past 3SC custodian Chinedu Anozie to level the score just before halftime.
However, the second half saw a renewed intensity from the Ibadan side as they continued to probe for openings, and their persistence paid off in the 51st minute when Sodiq Ibrahim bagged his second goal of the day, restoring 3SC’s lead.
What followed was a ruthless six-minute spell that completely unravelled Rangers. Adelowo Gbolagade (66th minute), Alex Aghahowa (69th minute), and Joshua Akpan (71st minute) all found the back of the net, turning a precarious lead into an unassailable 5-1 advantage.
Rangers’ coaching crew, led by Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu, attempted to stem the tide with a flurry of substitutions, introducing Godwin Obaje, Frank Uwumiro, Williams Wonah, Evans Ogbonda, and Okorie Chiedozie.
However, the damage was already done, and despite their efforts, they could not claw their way back into the match as the referee eventually brought proceedings to a close.
In a post-match interview, a visibly dejected Coach Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu admitted, “This was really not our day. It was a game where we came prepared to get something but our opponents showed great stuff on the pitch and my players did not come to the party. We shall go back home to start preparations in earnest for the coming season. It was a bad result that did not show all we put into this match.”
The heavy defeat sees Enugu Rangers conclude the NPFL 2024/2025 season in 10th position, accumulating 52 points.
