TheNewsGuru

Tag: Sunshine Stars

  • NPFL: Sunshine stars compound Rivers United woes in Akure

    NPFL: Sunshine stars compound Rivers United woes in Akure

    The result meant that the Akure Arsenala climbed to 17th position on the NPFL log.

    The game  ended goalless in  the first half with the home team missing so many scoring chances, with a goal by midfielder,Promise Awosanmi ruled out  for offside.

    Ibrahim Yusuf gave the home team the lead in the 68th minute of the encounter.

    Sunshine Stars Coach, Kennedy Boboye in a post match interview,  commended his players for playing to his game plan.

    “This game has come and gone, our focus now is on the next game which is the federation cup, after that, we will be playing host to Bendel insurance FC.

    “Our focus is to win our home matches and see how we will get something outside. Our major problem is how to be scoring goals, but we will continue working to improve in that area,” he said.

    Also speaking, Rivers United Head Coach, Evans Ogenyi,said his side lost the game to fatigue, noting that his team’s fixtures had not been easy.

    “It has not been easy, but we have been compelled to play five matches in 15 days,we have no choice than to play.

    “Nevertheless, We are approaching every game with all sense of seriousness and determination this one has come and gone,” he said.

  • NPFL: Sunshine Stars GM, Tunde Ogunja suspended by Ondo government

    NPFL: Sunshine Stars GM, Tunde Ogunja suspended by Ondo government

    Tunde Ogunja the general manager of Sunshine Stars, has been suspended by the Ondo State Government.

    Ogunja’s suspension  was announced by the Ondo State Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Hon. Sara Yusuf-Ogunleye, on Tuesday.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye stated that the decision was part of the bid to reposition the club.

    “We won’t allow cartels and cabals to survive and I am determined to move the ministry forward,” she stated.

    “I therefore call for the understanding and cooperation of all stakeholders for effective performance.”

    Sunshine Stars are winless in their last five games.

    The Owena Waves occupy the 16th position on the NPFL table with 36 points

  • NFF commiserates with Sunshine Stars’ Management over Dosunmu’s demise

    NFF commiserates with Sunshine Stars’ Management over Dosunmu’s demise

    The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed sadness and deep sorrow over the death on Friday of the assistant kit manager of Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure, Taiwo Dosunmu, from complications arising from bullet wounds when the team was waylaid by armed robbers earlier this month.

     

    Players and officials of Nigeria Premier Football League club, Sunshine Stars FC were on their way to a scheduled league match against Bendel Insurance FC of Benin City on Thursday, 7th December when their bus was attacked, with Dosunmu hit by a bullet in the process.

     

    President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau said on Saturday: “This is a very sad development, but God is all-knowing and we can never question His wisdom. We appreciate the prompt response and kind gestures of His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Edo State Government as a whole following the unfortunate incident, even as we are deeply saddened by Dosunmu’s death.

     

    “Our prayer is that Almighty God will grant the late Dosunmu eternal rest, and also grant his immediate family, relations and the Board and Management of Sunshine Stars FC, as well as the good people of Ondo State and the Nigeria Football fraternity the fortitude to bear the loss.”

     

    A release by the club said Taiwo Dosunmu breathed his last at the Intensive Care Unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital after a series of surgeries by consultants at the facility. The release described the late Dosunmu as “a very hard- working individual who took his job with all sense of seriousness.”

  • Benin-Ore Attack: Shot Sunshine Stars assistant kit manager, Taiwo Dosunmu is dead

    Benin-Ore Attack: Shot Sunshine Stars assistant kit manager, Taiwo Dosunmu is dead

    After being attacked on the Benin-Ore road by unknown gunmen on their way to honouring a league match against Insurance of Benin, the Assistant Kit Manager of Sunshine Stars of Akure, Taiwo Dosunmu who was shot in the attack  has now given up the ghost.

    This was made known by the Sunshine Stars Media Officer, Micheal Akintunde via a statement on Saturday in Akure.

    According to the statement, Dosunmu died at the Intensive Care Unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

    Recall that Dosunmu was shot during an attack on Sunshine Stars’ bus by gunmen along Benin-Ore Expressway earlier this month.

    Sunshine Stars were on their way to Benin City on December 7, to honour the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match-day 13 fixture against Bendel Insurance when the sad incident occurred.

    “With lot of pains in our hearts, we announce the untimely transition to eternity of our dear brother and Assistant Kit Manager, Taiwo Dosunmu, who died in line of duty by the bullets of armed bandit along Benin-Ore expressway on Thursday, Dec. 7,” the statement partly read.

    “Taiwo Dosunmu was a very hard working individual who took his job with all sense of seriousness.”

  • Attack: Sunshine Stars confirm death of Assistant Kit Manager, Taiwo Dosunmu

    Attack: Sunshine Stars confirm death of Assistant Kit Manager, Taiwo Dosunmu

    Taiwo Dosunmu, Assistant Kit Manager of Sunshine Stars of Akure, who was shot during an attack on the team’s bus by gunmen along Benin-Ore Expressway, is dead.

    Sunshine Stars were their way to Benin City on Dec. 7, to honour the Nigeria Premier Football League match-day 13 game against Bendel Insurance when the incident occurred.

    The team Media Officer, Micheal Akintunde, while confirming the passing of Dosunmu in a statement on Saturday in Akure, said he died at the Intensive Care Unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

    The statement appreciated the Governments of Edo and Ondo for their support towards saving Dosunmu’s life.

    “With lot of pains in our hearts, we announce the untimely transition to eternity of our dear brother and Assistant Kit Manager, Taiwo Dosunmu, who died in line of duty by the bullets of armed bandit along Benin-Ore expressway on Thursday, Dec. 7

    “Taiwo died at the Intensive Care Unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital on Friday, Dec. 22, after series of surgeries by consultants at the facility.

    “Taiwo Dosunmu was a very hard working individual who took his job with all sense of seriousness.

    “His selflessness at the moment of the attack saved the lives of players and other members of Sunshine Stars management. He will be sorely missed.

    “Special thanks to the governments of Ondo and Edo States as well as the entire football family in Nigeria and many others for the supports rendered during the spell of the unfortunate incident.

    “Burial arrangements of the departed will be communicated as authorised by the family,” the statement read.

  • 8 games without winning is unfortunate, Sunshine Stars coach laments

    8 games without winning is unfortunate, Sunshine Stars coach laments

    Sunshine Stars’ Head Coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, on Monday in Akure said team’s record of eight matches without a win in the ongoing 2020/2021 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is unfortunate.

    Ogunbote, while speaking during a post-match interview with newsmen after they drew goalless with visiting Nasarawa United in a delayed Match Day 15 encounter said the situation was lamentable.

    “Eight games without a win is really unfortunate. You will do your best, but along the line, other challenges creep in. But we will get better as we advance in the league.

    “As an independent body, I challenge the media to speak to the world on what they have seen here in terms of officiating,” he said.

    Sunshine Stars and Nasarawa United could not be separated after the 90-minute encounter which spread over two days.

    The match was suspended on Sunday after the referee alleged at half-time there was a threat to his life, with scores at 0-0.

    On Monday, both sides returned to the match venue for another barren 45 minutes.

    A lively restart to the match had gifted Tolu Oluwole a real sight at goal but the lanky forward could not beat the Nasarawa United goalkeeper, Danlami Umar.

    The early rush by the hosts continued, with youngster Ayo Adejubu troubling Umar with a decent effort from around the edge.

    Nasarawa United were not without chances of their own though, as they saw an effort rolling across the face of goal in the game’s 56th minute with Sunshine backline stranded.

    Five minutes later, Adamu Hassan blasted high in front of goal for the Solid Miners.

    In the 68th minute, Adejubu, while getting set to unleash inside the area went down under a challenge but the referee appeared unconvinced to award a penalty kick.

    Sunshine Stars’ Uche Okafor had to stay alert to spare the Owena Whales’ blushes after a miscued clearance 18 minutes from time.

    Stephen Begbaji was brought down in the penalty box, but the referee again ignored Sunshine Stars’ scream for a penalty kick moments before the contest was brought to a goalless end.

  • NPFL: Coach Dogo leaves Sunshine Stars

    NPFL: Coach Dogo leaves Sunshine Stars

    Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA) has announced the departure of Sunshine Stars Coach, Kabiru Dogo.

    This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Media Officer of Sunshine Stars, Chris Okunnuwa on Monday in Akure.

    It said that the ex-gaffer formalised his exit from the club on Monday.

    Chairman of ODSFA, Tajudeen Akinyemi and Club Director, expressed gratitude to Dogo and wished him well in his future endeavour.

    “Dogo has done his best for us, sadly we could not fight for our collective dreams till the end on the pitch in the outgone season. We are grateful for his services and time here, nonetheless.

    “He will be missed as a perfect gentleman with an impeccable character, but you know it is like that in this profession. We wish him all the best in his future adventures,” Akinyemi stated.

    Dogo on his part also thanked the entire club and people of Ondo State for making his two-year stay pleasant and memorable.

    “I want to appreciate the entire management of Sunshine Stars, the entire staff that I worked with, the fans and the good people of Ondo State for the love shown me while in charge of the team.

    “Though I have to move on, honestly I don’t regret a bit of my time in Akure; it was a lovely experience that I cherish and will surely miss. Sunshine Stars is a big team and I pray greater heights for the Club,” Dogo said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dogo joined Sunshine Stars from Nasarawa United in 2018.

  • NPFL: Dogo can’t sign for another club – Sunshine Stars Director

    NPFL: Dogo can’t sign for another club – Sunshine Stars Director

    The Director of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, Tunde Ogunja, says the Technical Adviser of the team, Kabir Dogo, is contract bound with the club and cannot sign for another club.

    Ogunja is reacting to speculations that Dogo has signed a contract with his former club, Nassarawa United.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Akure that it would be impossible for the renowned tactician to leave without negotiations with his current club.

    The official described the insinuation that Sunshine Stars Dogo had left the club for fellow Nigeria professional football league side Nasarawa United as fake news.

    The former national footballer said all contract agreement with coach Dogo were intact and that the coach only took excuse to pay attention to family matters in Ilorin.

    According to him, the management of the Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA) had fulfilled the required logistics demanded to make coach Dogo’s assignment easier with the recent procurement of a car for the coach’s mobility.

    He called for calm, saying that the team remained focus in achieving the set target in the 2019/2020 league season.

    “To the best of my knowledge, he still has a contract with us, we don’t know whether he has resigned or not; we have to sit on the round table and talk things through.

    “Although he called me and said he was going to Ilorin that his daughter is seriously ill, I told him to his face that I have heard he will come back.

    “He complained about benefits like housing, vehicle and we just bought him one.

    “To the best of my knowledge he has not resigned, he has contract with us, if he decides to dump us, that is a breach of contact,” Ogunja said.