Osho says Akwa United as regain confidence as Ogunbote relieved after Shooting Stars win over ‘difficult’ Kano Pillars

 Akwa United coach Fatai Osho says his team has regained their confidence in the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League after recording their second win of the season after nine games.

The Promise Keeper produced a stunning comeback to edge Remo Stars 3-2 in a thrilling game at the Eket Township Stadium.

Their visitors had taken the lead within 15 minutes through Sikiru Alimi before Dare Ojo, Uche Collins, and Rilwan Sadiq responded for Osho’s side.

Akwa United have endured a tough start to life this season, winning just once in eight matches before their latest triumph.

They began the season with a dramatic 5-3 defeat to Bayelsa United in Yenagoa, despite taking the lead twice in the game. Their first win of the season was a 1-0 victory against Gombe United on match-day five while they were forced to three goalless draws at home by Sporting Lagos, 3SC, and Plateau United.

Their latest win comes three matchdays after the last one but Osho praised his team’s fighting spirit and stressed that the win has boosted their confidence.

“I’m really impressed with my players for the performance they put up on Sunday. They all came to the party and the goals we were struggling to score in previous matches came in spectacular fashion against a team like Remo Stars,” Osho said via the club’s website.

“We didn’t allow the early goal we conceded to distract us, the boys didn’t drop their heads because they knew they needed to get the job done. My players showed mental toughness and resilience to fight back. Coming back from a goal down to lead 3-1 and finally winning 3-2 is a sign of good things to come and we want to build on this victory”.

 The result means Akwa United has improved their superior head-to-head record against Remo Stars to six wins, one draw, and one defeat in eight meetings. The Promise Keepers have now recorded two victories and three draws in their five home games played so far this season, they will next travel to Kaduna to tackle Niger Tornadoes on match-day 10.

Also, Shooting Stars head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote admitted that Kano Pillars made things difficult for his side in their Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL clash on Sunday.

The Oluyole Warriors laboured to a 1-0 victory in the encounter played at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Ibadan.

Kareem Ayinde’s second-half strike separated both teams on the night.

Ogunbote claimed victory did not come easy for his side in the game.

“It was a good one for us, it didn’t come that easy, we shouldn’t have expected it to come easier than it did,” the former Rangers and Sunshine Stars gaffer told the club’s official website.

“It’s a team that wants a point on the road, if you listen to their coach in his interview before the game, you will realise that he came for at worse a point”, added the coach who however, believed his team had the chance to kill off the game in the first half.

“Unfortunately, we were too much in a hurry, we would have made the difference in the first half, but be it as it may, the important is that the three points are in the bag.”

The Ibadan club will travel away to Lobi Stars for their next game.