Sunshine Stars were held to a 0-0 stalemate by NPFL title holders, Akwa United at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Sunday.
The round 28 game had a high octane feel from the first whistle with our boys stretching United’s goalkeeper, Adewale Adeyinka and his back line inside 15 minutes through Kolade Adeniji and Mutiu Dauda.
Twenty-four minutes in, the Whales were denied again by Adeyinka, who tipped over from Ike Brandon’s glancing header before Mutiu Dauda grazed the far post with an in-swinging freekick three minutes later.
Former Sunshine Stars’ midfielder, Babatunde Bello brought the best out of Japhet Opubo with a trademark powerful freekick, to give the visitors something to savour into the break.
The chances resumed with the second half but the accuracy was lacking for the Emmanuel Deutcsh’s boys who kept the Promise Keepers under pressure.
Uzoechi Ejike couldn’t resist to join in as the onslaught continued, and the defender had a tame effort saved at the nearpost after connecting a corner kick
With the clock winding down, Adeniji skipped pass the Akwa backline with a turn, exchanged a one-two with Hadi but his final touch for a potential goal was denied by a last ditch block.
The forward struck again late on, however, his ferocious free kick drifted off the mark, and in the end, the points were shared on Deji Ayeni’s return to Akure.
Sunshine Stars who now occupied the eighth position on the log with 38 points, visit Lobi Stars on matchday 29.
