MATCH REPORT
Shooting Stars vs Inter Lagos
We kicked off the 2026/27 EuroMatch Nigeria Premier Football League season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter Lagos at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba.
Goals from Lucky Emmanuel and Sodiq Ibrahim secured all three points for us in our opening fixture of the campaign.
Lucky Breaks the Deadlock
We started the game on the front foot, with Yusuf attempting to pick out Sodiq in the sixth minute before the forward was later fouled to earn us a free kick.
The breakthrough came in the 14th minute as Lucky Emmanuel put us ahead, sending the Oluyole faithful into celebration.
Gbolagade produced a crucial block four minutes later, but Inter Lagos found an equaliser in the 21st minute to level the score.
We continued to push for another goal. Jamiu’s corner found Desmond in the 30th minute, but his effort missed the target. Lucky also came close with a header that was saved by the goalkeeper.
Just before the break, Lucky was brought down inside the penalty area, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Sodiq Ibrahim stepped up and converted the penalty to restore our lead, sending us into the break with a 2-1 advantage.
Pushing for More
We continued to press after the restart, with Lucky creating an early opportunity in the 48th minute.
Coach Salisu Yusuf made changes in the 58th minute, bringing on Qamar Adegoke and Kalu Nweke for AbdulAzeez Dalhatu and Taheer Abubakar.
We continued to search for a third goal, with Jobi coming close on two occasions. His effort in the 61st minute went wide, while another powerful shot six minutes later narrowly missed the target.
Qamar also looked to create opportunities, but his cross in the 71st minute could not find a teammate.
Late Changes
Further changes followed in the 78th minute as Aule Johnmark and Akinola Damilola replaced Sodiq Ibrahim and Olaoke Olajobi. Adams Mustapha was later introduced in place of Lucky Emmanuel.
Qamar won a penalty late in the game as we looked to seal the victory, but the scoreline remained unchanged.
Full-Time: 2-1
After four minutes of added time, the final whistle confirmed a winning start to the new season.
A hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter Lagos ensured we began the 2026/27 NPFL season with all three points at the Lekan Salami Stadium.
Goals from Lucky Emmanuel and Sodiq Ibrahim secured the win in front of our fans, giving us our first opening-day victory in three years.
Next Stop: Africa
After making a positive start to the domestic campaign, attention now turns to the continent as we prepare for our CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round game against Tunisian side CS Sfaxien.
