Late second-half goals from Olakunle Akala and Qamar Adegoke secured a dramatic 2-1 victory for Shooting Stars Sports Club over Bendel Insurance. The win came in their Nigeria Premier Football League matchday 13 fixture. Shooting Stars trailed before the late comeback.
The mechanics matter. The NPFL is decided by fine margins. Late goals turn draws into wins and losses into draws. Shooting Stars gained three points that could matter at the end of the season. Bendel Insurance lost points they had held for most of the match.
This mirrors the 2023 NPFL season, when late goals decided the title race. It also echoes the 2019 season, when Shooting Stars narrowly avoided relegation. The difference now is that the club is competing near the top. The winners are Shooting Stars, Akala and Adegoke, and fans who stayed to the end. The losers are Bendel Insurance, who lost concentration, and their fans, who saw a lead slip.
Winners: Shooting Stars; Olakunle Akala; Qamar Adegoke; fans.
Losers: Bendel Insurance; their fans.
Bottom Line: Late goals win points. Shooting Stars showed the kind of resilience that separates contenders from mid-table teams.