Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan were denied all three points as El-Kanemi Warriors fought back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw in a thrilling NPFL matchday 31 encounter at the El-Kanemi Stadium, Maiduguri.
The visitors looked in control after a dominant first-half display saw them take a two-goal lead, but a resurgent El-Kanemi side turned the game around in the second half, forcing Shooting Stars to settle for a share of the spoils.
Coach Gbenga Ogunbote made several changes to his squad, with Aniyikaye Adeleye anchoring the defense, Adebayo Abayomi playing as the defensive midfielder, and Adams Mustapha leading the attack. The tactical adjustments appeared to pay off early on as 3SC dictated the tempo of the game.
Shooting Stars broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute through Monday Gideon, who capitalized on a precise pass from Ukeme Williams before slotting the ball past the El-Kanemi goalkeeper. The visitors continued to press forward and were rewarded again in first-half stoppage time when Sodiq Ibrahim doubled the lead after being set up by Daddy Abdulrahman.
At halftime, it seemed as though Shooting Stars were on course for a crucial away victory, but El-Kanemi Warriors had other plans. The hosts came out with renewed energy in the second half and pulled one back in the 50th minute through Barnabas, who converted a well-taken free kick from just outside the box.
Despite the setback, Shooting Stars pushed forward in search of a third goal to restore their cushion. However, they struggled to break down El-Kanemi's defense, missing several key opportunities to put the game to bed.
El-Kanemi Warriors made their pressure count in the 79th minute when Alabi Suleiman struck the equalizer, sending the home fans into wild celebrations. Shooting Stars' defense, which had been solid in the first half, was unable to cope with the relentless attacks from the Maiduguri-based side.
Goalkeeper Abiodun Akande produced some crucial saves late in the game to prevent El-Kanemi from completing a remarkable comeback victory. His heroics ensured that 3SC at least returned to Ibadan with a point.
The result keeps Shooting Stars in fourth place on the NPFL table with 47 points from 31 matches. While they would have preferred all three points, Ogunbote’s men will now shift focus to their next fixture, a home clash against Ikorodu City on Sunday, April 6.
With the league entering its final stretch, Shooting Stars will need to show more resilience in future matches to maintain their push for a strong finish in the NPFL standings.
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