Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan were seconds away from picking an important away win but were undone by a stoppage time goal as they were forced to a 2-2 by Katsina United.
Determined to shock their hosts before their vociferous fans at the Mohammadu Dikko Stadium, the coach Gbenga Ogunbote tutored lads started the game on high.
Their early raid almost yielded dividend 15 minutes into the encounter when Alex Aghahowa slammed home the ball after Katsina United goalie, Pius Ibrahim fumbled with the ball and was intercepted by Ayobami Junior, but referee Ahmed Lamido from Yobe State, adjudged that the goalie was fouled and ruled out the goal.
The homers shot into the lead a minute later with Moses Effiong putting them in front.
The unrelenting Stars grabbed the equaliser in the 30th minutes, through Daddy Abdulrahman whose slight touch drove the ball past the Katsina United goalkeeper, thus ending the first half 1-1.
On resumption for the second half, the Chanji Boys tried to seize the initiatives, bombarding the 3SC goal area but it was the Oluyole Warriors who found the back of the net in the 65th minute through a fantastic strike by Adams Mustapha Agba’a.
The game was halted for some minutes when referee Lamido had a muscle pull and had to be replaced by the reserve referee, Friday Francis from Bauchi State.
When it appeared the Ibadan soccer lords will smile home with the maximum points, Michael Ibe levelled up for the hosts in the last of the eight minutes added, to ensure the spoils were shared
The result leaves Shooting Stars on the fourth position on the log with 53 points from 33 matches and the team will next Sunday, play host to Abia Warriors of Umuahia in a Matchday 34 fixture.
Meanwhile, the Oluyole Warriors will leave Katsina for Abuja, to keep a date with El-Kanemi Warriors, in a President Federation Cup Round of 16 game, billed for Wednesday at the Goal Project.
