Ijapo Ages Stars Show Resilience to Defeat Ebile FC with Nine Men

By Kanu Samuel

Ijapo Ages Stars FC of Akure South defeated Ebile FC of Ondo East 2–1 in the ongoing Adu Unity Football Competition at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure, despite finishing the match with nine men.

Femi Kolawole wasted no time in putting Ijapo Ages Stars ahead with a superb finish in a tense encounter.

Ebile FC showed glimpses of a comeback, but Ijapo Ages Stars’ defence stood firm to repel their attacks.

Moments later, Kolawole doubled the lead with another clinical finish from Nosa Enabulele’s final pass.

However, Ijapo Ages Stars suffered a setback when Monday Omohera was sent off following a rash challenge.

The match took another dramatic turn when Kolawole was also shown a red card before half-time, leaving the Akure-based side to continue with nine men.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Ijapo Ages Stars remained dangerous and created several clear-cut opportunities in an enthralling encounter.

Dotun Adebayo dribbled past several Ebile FC players but was unlucky to see his effort hit the crossbar. Monday James also missed an opportunity after racing past the opposing goalkeeper.

The victory extended Ijapo Ages Stars’ unbeaten record in the history of the Adu Unity Cup to an impressive 19 matches.

Speaking after the match, Ijapo Ages Stars head coach, Michael Olaleke, popularly known as Bora, thanked God and praised his players for their resilience from the opening whistle to the final whistle.

He also expressed appreciation to the team’s fans and supporters for their unwavering faith in the side.

“Amazingly, we created two of the best chances in the remaining minutes.

“Winning with two men down is no ordinary achievement; it is a statement of greatness,” he said.