Bayelsa Starlets Stun Mariners City, Extend Perfect Start in N-Youth League
... As Coach Onduku Hails Team's Spirit, Determination
Bayelsa Starlets Academy have continued their impressive start to the ongoing N-Youth League, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mariners City FC of Eket, Akwa Ibom State, in a Matchday Two encounter decided at the Polo Pitch, Onopa, Yenagoa.
The FC Barcelona-affiliated academy demonstrated attacking quality, resilience and tactical discipline to overcome their visitors, maintaining their perfect record after two matches and moving to six points on the log.
Starlets took an early lead in the 13th minute when Whytex Jeffrey calmly converted from the penalty spot after Wisdom Simple was brought down in the danger area. Jeffrey stepped up confidently to give the Yenagoa-based academy the advantage.
However, Mariners City responded almost immediately, restoring parity two minutes later through Godfrey Shedrack, whose well-timed header brought the visitors back into the contest.
Undeterred by the equaliser, Starlets intensified their attacking pressure, with Ifiemi Joel and Whytex Jeffrey posing constant threat to the Mariners City defence as the hosts sought to regain control of the encounter.
Their persistence paid off in the 35th minute when Ifiemi Joel finished off a beautiful team move to restore Starlets’ lead, sparking wild celebrations among the home supporters.
The hosts subsequently went into the halftime break with a 2-1 advantage, although they could have extended their lead after creating and missing several promising scoring opportunities.
On resumption, head coach Gomo Onduku made a few changes to maintain the team’s intensity and tactical balance. Starlets continued to dictate the tempo, demonstrating composure and defensive discipline to contain Mariners City’s efforts and protect their advantage until the final whistle.
The victory earned Starlets another valuable three points, taking their tally to six points from two matches and underlining their determination to make a strong statement in the N-Youth League.
Speaking after the encounter, an elated head coach, Gomo Onduku, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, noting that the players were gradually finding their rhythm.
He added that the technical crew remained focused on taking each game as it came, emphasising the importance of steady progress and maintaining the team’s winning momentum as the competition progresses.
