Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, on Wednesday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, beat Solution FC of Anambra 3-2 via penalties to qualify for the round of 32 of the 2024 President Federation Cup.
The victory did not come on a platter of gold as the Oluyole Warriors were made to labour hard before subduing the Nigeria National League (NNL) side.
The Ibadan soccer lords were at the verge of a shocking elimination after going down one nil in the 78th minute, but were saved by a brilliant free kick by substitute Mustapha Adams Agba’a, who struck on the dot of 90 minutes.
Shooting Stars were reduced to 10 men late in the first half when left back Ehibe Victor, was expelled after comitting a second bookable offence.
Solution FC, who were lucky not to have conceded a goal in the first half due to 3SC’ s inability to convert begging chances, tried to make the numerical strenght count in the second half, but found 3SC too hard to break.
In the ensuing penalty shootout, Gali Falke had his kick saved while the trio of Mustapha Adams, Ayodeji Bamidele and Alex Aghahowa converted theirs.
Goalkeeper Odah Okemute dived well enough to save Solution FC’s last kick, after they had initially lost two kicks, thus rendering Shooting Stars’s last kick inconsequential.
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