Sunshine Stars’ Assistant Coach, Bobola Akinfolarin, has lamented his team’s embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Abia Warriors in Sunday’s NPFL matchday 23 clash at Umuahia Township Stadium, admitting that it is a major setback for a side battling relegation, Completesports.com reports.
Akinfolarin addressed the press after the match on the orders of his Head Coach, Abubakar Bala.
Seventeenth in the NPFL standings with 24 points, Sunshine Stars conceded twice before half-time—first through an own goal and then Anthony Ijoma’s 36th-minute strike. Samuel Ogunjimi sealed the hosts’ victory with a third goal two minutes into stoppage time.
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“As a team, we feel terrible. It’s not good, especially when you’re fighting to avoid the dreaded drop,” Akinfolarin said.
“This is a bad time for a team in our situation to lose three matches in a row. It’s really not good at all.”
Sunshine Stars will host fellow relegation battlers Akwa United in this weekend’s matchday 24 fixture.
Akinfolarin stressed that the team must fight to survive and can no longer afford to keep dropping points.
“We’re going to work extremely hard and do everything humanly possible to get the win and three points against Akwa United.
“Our current position is not what we wanted, and certainly not what we planned for.
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“We played better in the first half of the season, but things suddenly changed, especially with the challenge of playing away from home. All these factors have put us where we are now.
“But as I said, we’ll keep fighting till the end—no retreat, no surrender.”
Addressing speculation about pressure on Head Coach Abubakar Bala, Akinfolarin insisted his boss remains composed.
“I’m not Coach Bala, but I can say for certain that he is not under any pressure. However, as a coach and a human being, you can’t be in this kind of position and be happy.”
By Sab Osuji
