Sunshine Stars will thus continue to play its home fixtures at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Sunshine Stars request for approval to return to the Akure Township Stadium for its home matches has been declined by the League Management Company (LMC).
In a letter to the club dated January 13, the LMC acknowledged steps taken by Sunshine Stars to renovate the changing rooms of the home and away teams as well as that of Match Officials but noted that the real work is in replacing the playing turf.
“We are delighted with the amount of work done as you reported on the dressing rooms – home, away, and match officials. And also repairs of sections of the perimeter fence.
“We also note that Ondo State Government has started the process of approval for the total refurbishment and upgrade of the Stadium”, the LMC said in the letter signed by Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer.
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In declining to accede to the request of the club, the LMC wrote, “However, we refer you to our letter once again and reiterate that the primary concern is for the synthetic pitch to be replaced having been completely damaged by overuse.
“You will also recall that we received a firm commitment from your Honourable Commissioner of Sports that the pitch would be replaced last year which made us grant conditional approval for Sunshine Stars to use the stadium for last season.
“We are therefore unable to grant your request for clearance to play Sunshine Stars matches at Akure until the synthetic pitch is replaced”.
Sunshine Stars will thus continue to play its home fixtures at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode.
Sunshine recorded their first win of the 2021/2022 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season with a 3-0 defeat of Kano Pillars last Sunday.
Playing at their adopted home ground, Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Sunshine Stars, made their intentions known right from the blast of the whistle with consistent attacking threats.
Despite creating chances in the first half, the breakthrough didn’t come until the 69th minute when substitute Kamaru Adebari rose highest in the box to head in the opener for the Akure Gunners.
Michael Olulasi’s trademark finish in the 75th minute doubled the lead for Coach Deji Ayeni’s side.
