2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 25: Lobi Stars dogged fight against relegation gets boost with stalemate in Ibadan

Posted : 20 February 2025

Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi drew 2-2 with hosts Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) on Wednesday in Ibadan, boosting their fight against relegation and raising hopes of survival.

The Match Day 25 fixture in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) saw the visitors force the second-placed 3SC to fight from behind to claim a point.

The Lekan Salami Stadium crowd had been expecting a win for the hosts, who had lost their last two matches on the road and were up against a relegation-threatened side.

However, Lobi Stars proved a difficult opponent, lacking only a good offensive rhythm. They broke through the flanks to put the hosts on the back foot several times.

Despite this, 3SC took the lead to justify their dominance of play, with Akpan Joshua scoring a rising shot in the 11th minute.

Lobi Stars, however, kept their nerve, holding out until the 35th minute when Ossy Martins drew them level after finding himself unmarked to turn in a loose ball.

Ossy was again on hand in the third minute of first-half added time to complete his brace, brilliantly utilising an effort by Segun Oloruntoba.

The diligent Oloruntoba had cut in from the right to deliver a good pass, which Martins expertly finished to give his side a surprise lead.

3SC returned from the break rejuvenated, making two quick changes: Adams Mustapha replaced Samuel Ayanrinde, and William Ukeme came on for Nonso Nzediegwu.

They soon drew level through the energetic Sodiq Ibrahim, who shot low to the far side of the goal after picking up a loose ball.

3SC’s attempts to regain the lead proved futile, despite bringing on Ekeson Okorie and Godwin Odibo for Akpan Joshua and Tijani Kabir, respectively.

Even with Martins' sending-off, the hosts could not capitalize on the one-man advantage.

They dominated the game and restricted their guests to only a few offensive runs, but were not clinical with their finishing, wasting precious goalscoring chances.

The most glaring miss came from Ikouwem Utim in the ninth minute of second-half added time, when he headed over the crossbar in front of a near-empty net.

The draw kept 3SC in second place on the table with 41 points from 25 matches, following slips by their nearest rivals.

Lobi Stars remain at the bottom of the table with 23 points from 25 matches, after five wins, eight draws, and 12 losses.

2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 25: Lobi Stars dogged fight against relegation gets boost with stalemate in Ibadan

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