Head coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club, Gbenga Ogunbote, believes his team gave it their all after winning the maiden NPFL-DOZY Mmobuosi Super Cup pre-season tournament.
A resilient Oluyole Warriors team defeated Enyimba 3-2 on Friday in Lagos to claim the N100m star prize.
Former Ikorodu City striker Anthony Okachi was the match-winner for 3SC as he scored a late goal to seal the comeback win after trailing twice in the game.
Both teams had settled for a goalless draw when they met in the round-robin stage of the tournament.
In addition to praising his players for their fight, Ogunbote is optimistic that the victory will serve as a springboard for 3SC.
“I feel good and I’m happy about it because in the first place, nobody gave us the chance. So, we didn’t just win it, we deserved it and I hope we can build on it,” Ogunbote said after the game.
In his second stint as 3SC's manager, Ogunbote returns to the role after leading the team from 2012 to 2016. His return to the Ibadan side follows a sensational run with Remo Stars in the 2021/22 NPFL season when he led the Ikenne side to the club’s first-ever qualification to the CAF Confederation Cup.
This time, he is fully aware of 3SC’s need to get back in the mix of challengers in the Nigerian topflight, while he is also looking forward to strong competition from other clubs.
“We have to be realistic with our targets. Last season, the team struggled, so this time around we have to be more comfortable. My target is to finish in an appreciable position and with this result, the team would have established that fact that we have something to offer, and as such, we will be looking forward to stiffer and tougher opposition when the league begins,” Ogunbote told PUNCH.
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 years ago
