By Femi Atolagbe
Sunshine Queens Football of Akure have ended the 2023 Nigeria Women Football League NPFL championship playoffs on second position with 12 points, defeating Delta Babes 3-1 in their last group B match decided at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne Ogun State.
The Akure based ladies played five matches won four, lost one game to group B table topper, Lakeside Queens who also garnered 12 points from five matches after defeating their arch rival, Kazeem Eletu FC 4-1 in the last match of the competition’s final game.
Sunshine Queens midfield prodigy, Moyinoluwa Owolabi scored in the 33rd minute off Divine Onwuchekwa rebound, before Precious Edewor tapped in the second goal in the 45th minute to end the first stanza in her side’s favour .
Delta Babes pulled one back in the 51st minute of the restart of the game through a defensive missed up to reduce the Akure based ladies lead.
Sunshine Queens Goal keeper, Lucky Andy brilliantly saved from both halves of the encounter, while the center referee was not convinced enough to have given Sunshine Queens a penalty in the 80th minute.
Substituted Shola Oduwale however, restored Sunshine Queens’ two goals lead in the 85th minute from a flying header, after her side had rued many scoring chances in the duration of the game.
Lakeside Queens FC topped group B with 12 points and six goals, Sunshine Queens FC also had 12 points with four goals to settle for second position, while Kazeem Eletu FC came third with six points, Honey Badgers fourth, Imo striker Queens fifth and Delta Babes relegated to the third division League.
Meanwhile Dream Stars Ladies defeated Dannaz Ladies 3-1 to top group A, while Ekiti Queens played a 1-1 draw with Kwara Ladies to settle for second position with 10points, while Moje Queens also relegated despite defeating thrid placed Pelican Stars 3-2- .
Twelve teams grouped into six each in a group had participated in the two weeks of the 2023 Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) with two teams: Lakeside Queens and Dannaz Ladies promoted to the elite league while two teams; Delta Babes and Moje Queens were relegated to the third division.
