Sunshine Stars became the second team to be relegated from the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League after suffering a 2-1 loss at home to Niger Tornadoes in Ijebu Ode on Sunday.
The victory saw Niger Tornadoes climb out of the relegation zone, securing 48 points and moving to 14th place. They now need at least one point in their final home game against Kano Pillars to ensure their survival.
For Sunshine Stars, the defeat left them stranded on 41 points, meaning that even a win in their next fixture against El-Kanemi Warriors won’t be enough to keep them up.
With this result, Sunshine Stars join Lobi Stars as the two teams confirmed for relegation, while five other clubs continue to battle for survival in the remaining two spots.
The club’s 17-year tenure in the top flight has seen some memorable moments, especially between 2010 and 2012, when they secured continental berths and reached the semi-finals of both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Now, the team must prepare for life in the second division, with plans to play at the newly renovated Ondo State Sports Complex, which had been unavailable to them throughout this season. Sunshine Stars have been in the Nigerian top-flight since their promotion in 2008.
Heading into their match on the 37th matchday, Sunshine Stars needed three points to extend their survival hopes. Their opponents, sitting two places above them with 45 points before the match, had other plans. Niger Tornadoes took the lead in the first half through Ismail Sarki, but Liman Ahmadu brought Sunshine Stars level before halftime.
However, Daniel Akanbek scored a stunning goal in the 76th minute to restore Tornadoes’ lead, sealing their fifth away victory of the season and confirming Sunshine Stars’ relegation.
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