By Femi Atolagbe
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Ondo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development,Mr Bamidele Ologunloluwa has said continuity is the secret of Sunshine Stars Football Club success this season.
He linked the 2022/23 Sunshine Stars’ performance to the foundation laid down by the Interim Management Committee headed by Deputy Governor of the state ,Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ologunloluwa stated this after the club defeated FC EFCC 3-2 in the Federation Cup round of 16 and picking the quarter final ticket of the competition.
Sunshine Stars had earlier qualified for Nigeria Premier League Football (NPFL) Super six after thrashing Dakkada FC 3-0 on the last match day of the league.
The Commissioner added that the immidiate past Interim Management committee of the club did a very good job by rescuing the team from going into relegation during the 2020/21 season and subsequently placed the team on 10th position in 2021/22 season before their exit.
According to him, “that is what we call continuity, we built on what we met on ground and we fire on from there, I thank God for where we are now, recognize and commend the good work of the Aiyedatiwa led Interim Management committee.”
“I commend the players and their coaching crew for not letting the euphoria of the super six qualification affect their game against FC EFCC”.
He said: “The job is not yet done, we are calling on all football stakeholders within and outside the state to support Sunshine Stars as we go to Lagos to battle other teams for the winner of the League and the available continental tickets”.
“I want to charge them to be more focused and set their eyes on winning the league and pick up one the continental tickets, we last played at the continental level about 13 years ago.”
The trio of Samson Olasupo, Jide Jimoh and Emmanuel Ogbuagu fired Sunshine Stars to the quarter final of the oldest football league in the country with FC EFCC scored twice in the round of 16 encounter played at Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
The match ended 3-2 in favour of Sunshine Stars despite having a player sent off after a second yellow cards for dissent at the tale end of the game.
