MatchDay 5 of the Gold Cup saw an exciting turn of events as Sunshine Stars secured a 2-0 victory over a formidable Sporting Lagos at the FC Ebedei Stadium in Apele-Sagamu, claiming the South-West bragging rights.
In a surprising twist, Lobi Stars recorded their first defeat against Ekiti United, setting the stage for an intriguing finale on MatchDay 6.
Both fixtures began with a goalless first half, but Sunshine Stars quickly took control after the break. Gabriel Adepoju opened the scoring with a stunning finish in the 48th minute, followed by Kingsley Ogunmola, who extended their lead to 2-0 in the 53rd minute, marking their second win after an opening day loss to FC Ebedei.
Lobi Stars, on the other hand, will regret their missed opportunities, conceding a goal in the 56th minute due to an unfortunate own goal by Akile Monday. They must now defeat Seamoriow FC and score more goals to have a chance at advancing to the semifinal.
Ebenezer Odeyemi established himself as the leading scorer with three goals after helping Crown FC secure a resounding 5-2 victory over Stormers SC. This thrilling match featured two penalties, one for each team, and included a brace from Oyedeji Samuel, along with goals from Osas Kelvin and Onyeka Nwaiwu.
Meanwhile, FC Ebedei bounced back from their 1-2 loss to Sporting Lagos by narrowly defeating Abakaliki FC. A 62nd-minute penalty, expertly converted by Kennedy John, was sufficient for the Oliseh Boys to claim their second win. In the 80th minute, Miracle Osakene nearly added to the tally with a clever chip over the goalkeeper, only to be denied by the woodwork, leaving FC Ebedei grateful for their single-goal victory.
De Rice Boys left the pitch disappointed after failing to convert their chances throughout the match.
