4th February, 2024
The Coordinator of the Sunshine Stars U-17 team to the just concluded Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) youth competition, Rafiu Yusuf, says his team was unlucky not to have qualified from the zone in Ekiti.
Yusuf stated this in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Akure after returning from the competition.
Sunshine Stars lost 5-4 to Remo Stars U-17 team in extra time of the last match.
The team had played 2-2 in the first match with Sporting Lagos, defeated Shooting Stars 3-1 in the second game, and lost the last match 5-4 to Remo Stars to finish second on the log, with only one team qualifying from the zone.
Remo Stars will represent the region with other teams that qualified from other regions.
Yusuf said the team did very well and would keep together as an effective feeder team for the senior team to consolidate the achievements of the team.
“I am happy with the way our players played and we just needed to inject a few legs into the team. Injury to our first-choice goalkeeper in the second match affected our game plan.
“But that is no excuse, we have to move on and take from the positives that we have in the game.
“I will urge the management of the football agency and the state government to keep the crop of players together,” he said.
NAN