Shooting Stars of Ibadan were crowned champions of the Optima Energy Gold Cup after defeating Beyond Limits 2-0 on Saturday.
Breaking their final jinx, the club emerged victorious in the 12th edition of the tournament despite being reduced to 10 men.
Despite an impressive performance, Beyond Limits were ultimately undone by the experienced and determined Oluyole Warriors.
In the 3rd minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Shooting Stars after Sodiq fouled Olaniyi Fasanmi. Aliyu Abubakar stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick, giving Shooting Stars the lead at halftime.
Two minutes into the second half, Shooting Stars faced a setback when their captain, Taye Muritala, was shown a red card for a foul on a Beyond Limits striker.
However, this did not deter the team. In the 72nd minute, Desmond Ojietefian rose highest to meet a superb delivery and headed the ball into the net, securing the second goal for Shooting Stars.
This victory marked their fourth attempt at winning the competition, and they were finally crowned champions.
Shooting Stars received a cash prize of ₦2,000,000 from the proud sponsors, Optima Energy, while Beyond Limits took home ₦1,000,000 for finishing as runners-up.
Aliyu Abubakar of Shooting Stars was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, and his coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, was awarded the Best Coach accolade.
Olisa Emmanuel of Beyond Limits won the Golden Glove after keeping three clean sheets throughout the tournament.
