Shooting Stars marksmen go AWOL

The statistics shows that the strikers of the Oluyole soccer lords are not potent in front of goals, despite the huge number of strikers recruited by the club before the start of the 2012 league season, ending the first stanza with a goal deference of +6. It is a sharp contrast to the case in […]

The statistics shows that the strikers of the Oluyole soccer lords are not potent in front of goals, despite the huge number of strikers recruited by the club before the start of the 2012 league season, ending the first stanza with a goal deference of +6.

It is a sharp contrast to the case in Gombe United Football Club where Gombe United’s duo of Mustapha Babadidi and Sanusi Sani have scored 17 goals, six more than 3SC, a team that left their top scorer, Osaguona Ighodaro, on the bench in an important match against Enyimba.

Thanks to the experience of former Enyimba star, Mutiu Adegoke, 3SC won the match courtesy of a wonderful free-kick that can contest for the goal-of-the-season.

Adegoke knew the image of the club was at stake and left the Enyimba players watching as his long range shot hit target.

Back in the days, the legendary Rashidi Yekini, former Nigerian International, Segun Odegbami, former league hotshot, Olumide Harris, Abdullahi Heyman, Shola Akinwale and Gideon Imagbudu among others have always ensured that the Ibadan faithful never left the stadium without having to discuss about goals scored thereafter.

Ironically, times have changed, but the fans are still behind the team.

What can separate them from the team, anyway?

Perhaps, it has reached the time when fans will have to seek divine intervention for strikers to do their jobs at 3SC, a team that entered the history books as the first Nigerian side to win the defunct African Cup Winners Cup and the CAF Cup.

On Matchday 19, 3SC caretaker boss, Hakeem Busari paired Raheem Owolabi and Thomas Adesina, two strikers who misfired during the first round of the league and finished without a goal.

3SC headed for their road trip on match day 18 at Enugu Rangers with the same pair and the story was the same.

Although 3SC scored two goals for the first time during a road trip this term, both strikers were not on the score sheet. The job was done by midfielder, Talabi Olumakinde.

Besides Owolabi and Adesina, Aaron Samuel, who joined 3SC from Dolphins equally failed to score a goal and left with the unenviable record of a goal-shy striker.

To compound matters, Adegoke, who plays as a left-full back has scored twice from free-kicks, while Olumakinde has three goals as a midfielder.

Other goal scorers include first-choice goalkeeper, Dele Ajiboye, who got the nod to convert a penalty against Dolphins and midfielder, Kingsley Elvis, who is in his second stint with the club.

Busari maintained that the duo will hit form in the second round.

“I know both strikers haven’t scored, but they have contributed to goals scored by other players. Adesina and Owolabi opened the defence at Rangers for Makinde to execute two great goals,” Busari said.

Thomas Adesina

Adesina, who went to 3SC from Cote d’Ivoire’s Africa Sports with great credentials, is confident that the situation will change in the second round and he will bang in the goals to take the Ibadan side out of the relegation zone.

“It’s my first time in the Nigeria Premier League but I am working hard to make amends. I played for Bendel Insurance and Prime in the lower division before leaving the country. I believe the goals will come now that I have more playing time,” the striker who had a stint with Saudi-Arabia’s Al-Shabab said.

Aaron Samuel

The youngster was recruited from Dolphins FC of Port-Harcourt after he was signed in from Bright Star Academy. Samuel spent one season with the Port-Harcourt side, but loaned out for his failure to locate the goal post during matches.

Raheem Owolabi

Owolabi was amongst the goal scorers last term, but has been unable to reproduce the feat which almost earned him a deal at South African side, Maritzburg United.

Kabiru Alausa

Alausa, a former league top scorer at defunct Julius Berger, has been in-and-out of 3SC.

Dropped on the eve of the present season, the club had to bring him back due to the inability of the strikers to deliver.

The lanky forward converted a penalty against Warri Wolves and is yet to rediscover the shooting boots that earned him the top scorers’ award at Berger.

Alausa is still searching for his second goal.