Hosting U-23 Eagles Match In Ibadan, Tonic For 3SC — Oyo Commissioner
The staging of the U-23 Afcon qualifier between Nigeria and Tanzania at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan and the victorious outing of the Nigerian team at the arena will serve as a tonic for the players of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in the upcoming 2022/23 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
That was the view of the Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dr Seun Fakorede, after watching the Nigerian lads beat their Tanzanian counterparts 2-0 on Saturday.
Speaking after the second leg of the U-23 AFCON qualifier in which two second-half goals ensured the Olympic Eagles scaled through to the next round, Dr Fakorede said he was delighted with the hosting of the game in Ibadan and the win recorded by the Nigerian team.
“It is really a thing of joy to see Oyo State hosting a game of this magnitude. It is like showing Oyo State to the world and I am glad that we made the best use of the opportunity with the hitch-free organisation of the match.
“In the same vein, it is good seeing this game being played on the home turf of our darling Shooting Stars and I am happy the players were also on ground to watch the encounter.
“It will surely propel them to do well when the new season starts. This game has shown the players that this wonderful arena deserves to host international matches, not only local games,” he stated.
On what to expect from the Oluyole Warriors in the upcoming season, the Commissioner expressed optimism that the team will surely perform well going by the level of preparations so far.
“Our target is to pick a continental ticket and having watched the team play recently, I believe will be achieved”, said Dr Fakorede who based his optimism on the technical expertise of coach Gbenga Ogunbote.
