Another very good week for Shooting Stars. After a decisive 3-0 win over Houston Strikers – Red, the Stars went into last Sunday’s game against Al-Ahly determined to extend their winning streak to five consecutive games.

Al-Ahly's game against Shooting Stars FC last Sunday provided the Stars and its supporters with what could be perceived, by some, as their first true big game of the 2006 season. Even this early in the season…with less than ten games left to play, the match had become something of a must win encounter for both teams in order to keep their respective title aspirations within the realms of reality.

Shooting Stars welcomed back one of its star strikers, Ehis Otoikhine, from hamstring injury.

With ten minutes into the game, it was looking like yet another one of those games as Shooting Stars fell behind to an early goal in the 10th minute. Lack of communication between defender Frederick Njoku and goalie Erhomu Ofurhie, caused an own-goal that put the Stars behind by two goals in the 23rd minute. All afternoon the Stars held possession but could not find the necessary change of gear or the gaps in the opponent's defense to make their superior plays. The players grew frustrated, but the fans kept their players’ spirits up. The Stars would, however, redeem themselves late in the first half with two goals coming from two goal scorer regulars, Mike Ugbeme and Tope Ayoola. The first half ended with the game tied 2-2.

In the second half, the Stars’ defense, led by the game’s MVP, Temzie, held the opponent at bay by constantly disrupting the opponent’s through-passes and chances at goal. Shooting Stars’ offense, however, kept pressure on the opponent’s defense…, managed to test the opponent’s goalie on a couple of occasions, but never quite looked like they would steal all three points. The Stars took the lead in the 67th minute when center midfielder, James Oriabure, made a superb curved driven cross to star striker, Justice Akuchie, who flicked a brilliant header home from close range.

With Al-Ahly pushing forward desperately, Shooting Stars added two late goals in the second half…goals that both came from one of its strikers, Ehis Otoikhine. Ehis scored his first goal since returning from hamstring injury with a penalty kick in the 77th minute, and finalized the count at 5-2 with his second goal off an assist from right midfielder, Farouk Alawa, with about two minutes left in the game.

Shooting Stars has only allowed an average of one goal per game in its last five games, while it has scored an average of three goals per game in the same span. In recent weeks, all sorts of names have been turning up on the score sheet, with Mike, Justice, and Tope, being some of the more expected. This is good to see and we hope it continues. With Ehis Otoikhine back in the lineup, the Stars captain, Tolu Ayoola, has flexibility in choosing a combination of different offensive strategies that should wreck havoc on any opponent’s defense. The win against Al-Ahly gave Shooting Stars their fifth straight winning streak.

Defensive midfielder and game MVP, Temzie, and right-back defender, Raphael Chukwu, both received a yellow card for dangerous play in the second half of the game.

Shooting Stars’ next match is against Houston Strikers – Prime. Games against teams like Al-Ahly, Dynamo, HFMC Blacks, and Prime are the sort of games where results need to be achieved if the Stars want to be considered true title contenders. The game against Prime is sure to be rough and tough and will be a real test of spirit. With so many points already squandered early in the season, it is a game that Shooting Stars must win if they are to stay in the race for the division title.

The last time these two teams met was September 10, 2006…, and the Stars lost that game 9-2.