Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) from Ibadan kicked off their 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season on a good note. They defeated newly promoted Inter Lagos FC 2-1 at Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on Friday.
The home fans were excited. They came out in large numbers to support 3SC and enjoyed the team's performance in this first match.
3SC got ahead in the 15th minute when Lucky Emmanuel fired a powerful shot from inside the six-yard box. This put the home team ahead.
Inter Lagos fought back and leveled the score in the 33rd minute. Uchenna Njoku took advantage of a mistake by 3SC's captain, Gbolagade Adelowo. He scored after receiving a pass from his teammate, Iyede Kewe, making it 1-1.
Just before half-time, 3SC took the lead again. Inter Lagos defender Jamiu Arowolo was called for a foul on Lucky Emmanuel in the box. Sodiq Ibrahim stepped up and scored the penalty in the 45th minute, giving the Oluyole Warriors a 2-1 lead at half-time.
In the second half, 3SC had a chance to increase their lead with another penalty. Unfortunately, Adams Mustapha missed the opportunity. The score stayed at 2-1 until the final whistle.
This win is a big boost for 3SC. They are back in continental football this season after a strong finish in the 2025/26 NPFL.
Last season, Shooting Stars finished third in the league, behind champions Rangers International and runners-up Rivers United. This marked their return to continental football after 27 years.
Their finish was the best in over a decade and showed a major improvement for one of Nigeria’s historic clubs.
In the 2025/26 season, 3SC focused on strong defense and dominating at home in Lekan Salami Stadium. They hope to keep this foundation as they balance domestic and continental matches this season.
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