MatchDay 5 of the 13th Gold Cup delivered high drama and thrilling football action, with Sunshine Stars claiming South-West bragging rights and Lobi Stars suffering a shock defeat to keep the semifinal race wide open.
At the FC Ebedei Stadium in Apele-Sagamu, Sunshine Stars put on a commanding second-half performance to defeat Sporting Lagos 2–0.
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After a tight, goalless first half, Gabriel Adepoju broke the deadlock in the 48th minute with a superb strike, before Kingsley Ogunmola doubled the advantage five minutes later to seal victory.
The result marked Sunshine Stars’ second win of the tournament after an opening-day loss to hosts FC Ebedei.
Elsewhere, Lobi Stars’ unbeaten run came to an end in surprising fashion, as they fell 1–0 to Ekiti United. A 56th-minute own goal by Akile Monday proved costly, leaving the Makurdi side with a must-win clash against Seamoriow FC on MatchDay 6 if they are to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Crown FC stole the headlines in another venue, storming to a 5–2 win over Stormers SC in a pulsating encounter. Ebenezer Odeyemi emerged as the standout performer, netting his third goal of the tournament to become the current top scorer.
Oyedeji Samuel also impressed with a brace, while Osas Kelvin and Onyeka Nwaiwu added their names to the scoresheet. Both sides were awarded penalties in a game packed with end-to-end action.
Meanwhile, FC Ebedei bounced back from their 1–2 loss to Sporting Lagos by edging Abakaliki FC 1–0. Kennedy John’s coolly taken 62nd-minute penalty made the difference, while Miracle Osakene came close to extending the lead with a late effort that struck the crossbar.
With one round of matches left before the semifinals, the race for qualification remains intense. Sunshine Stars, FC Ebedei, and Crown FC have all made strong statements, while Lobi Stars and Sporting Lagos face mounting pressure heading into the decisive MatchDay 6 fixtures.
