Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) head coach Gbenga Ogunbote said he would have preferred the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League season go on without a break, www.aclsports.com reports.
Ogunbote made this known after guiding the Oluyole Warriors to a 2-0 win over Sunshine Stars on Sunday. Captain Taofeek Malomo and Christian Pyagbara scored in the second half to extend the Ibadan side’s winning streak at home to seven games and without conceding a goal.
The veteran tactician, who spoke to pressmen after the game, said the NPFL break – which is to allow Rivers United complete their outstanding games – has to do with almost all the teams and added that his team will not lose their top form by the time the league resumes at the end of May.
“It has to do with every team except those teams that have outstanding games with Rivers United. With the form that we are in now, honestly, I wish there was no break until the end of the season, we will try to manage the situation. It is like when you attend a school with examinations, but we will try our best to put ourselves in a match form.
On the game against the Owena Waves, Ogunbote had this to say; “It is always difficult playing a team battling for survival. They will want to ensure they have relief. They were quite physical and went direct with their approach in the first half.”
“We were able to manage the situation and I told the players before the game but we were not settled in the first 30 minutes of the contest. All we needed was to put the ball on the floor, which we did in the second half, and it paid off,” the former Enyimba coach concluded.
By the win, Shooting Stars moved up to fourth spot with 52 points – five adrift of leaders Rangers International – after 32 games played.
Other Matchday 32 Results
Remo Stars 3-0 Niger Tornadoes
Bendel Insurance 1-0 Heartland
Doma United 0-0 Kwara United
Sporting Lagos 4-2 Abia Warriors
Akwa United 3-0 Kano Pillars
Enyimba 1-0 Katsina United
Rangers 2-0 Plateau United
Gombe United 3-2 Lobi Stars
Bayelsa United v Rivers United – Monday 29th April
