Sunshine Queens FC of Ondo State announced their return bid to the NWFL Premiership in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 3–0 victory over Fortress Ladies of Benin in their opening Championship Playoff match in Umuahia.
The Akure-based side started brightly, showcasing fluid attacking football, pressing high up the pitch, and exploiting defensive lapses from their opponents.
The breakthrough arrived in the 27th minute when Adenuga Oluwabunmi finished off a perfectly timed pass from Lolade Akintunde to give Sunshine Queens the lead.
Six minutes later, the advantage was doubled as Mirabel Irabor calmly slotted home from close range after a clever assist from Mistura Olamilekan.
Despite Fortress Ladies’ efforts to mount a comeback after the break, Sunshine Queens remained defensively solid and controlled the midfield exchanges.
Their dominance paid off again in the 66th minute when Bolaji Azeez was brought down inside the box.
Precious Edewor converted the resulting penalty with confidence, sealing a comfortable 3–0 win.
The game, however, was not without setbacks as Lucky Victory and Lolade Akintunde both picked up yellow cards in the second half for rash challenges.
Head coach Oseni Rafiu made late substitutions, bringing on Amos Foluke, Adeleke Ganiyat, and Faith Oyewole to ensure his side finished strongly.
At full time, the Ondo State–sponsored side had displayed grit, flair, and intent, sending a strong warning to their rivals in the promotion race.
With three points secured and a clean sheet to their credit, Sunshine Queens now shift focus to their next crucial clash against Unification FC of Lagos, where they will aim to sustain their winning momentum.
