Shooting Stars players greet match officials: Coach Ikhana says they have not been paid for 5 months

Coach Kadiri Ikhana of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan on Saturday appealed to the Oyo State Government to pay the club’s players their outstanding five-month salaries.

Ikhana told newsmen in Ibadan, after his team defeated visiting Heartland Football Club of Owerri 2-1, that his players’ morale was down as a result of the situation.

The 3SC scored through Muyiwa Lawal and Seun Akinyemi in the 51st and 70th minutes respectively to win the match.

Heartland FC scored their lone goal through Anthony Oussou in the 56th minutes of the 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 11 fixture.

Shooting Stars team

Ikhana said his players had been honouring their league matches discontented, hungry and unhappy, adding that they could only play well if they ate well.

“It has been tough for the team recently, especially when we have to play eight matches in 16 days. Now we are going on a long journey to play against
Nasarawa United and Kano Pillars.

“The players have been going out there to play matches on empty stomachs and I am appealing to the government to do more on the unpaid salaries,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, coach Alphonsus Dike of Heartland FC has described his team’s loss to 3SC as unfortunate, adding that they lost it in their defence.

He however alleged that there was a general distraction for his team in the game from the spectators, which he said “was unruly and uncalled for’’.

Dike said his team would now have to return to base and strategise on how to win their remaining matches.