Kwara United will continue their battle for survival when they face Shooting Stars in a crucial Nigeria Premier Football League matchday 34 encounter at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan today, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Harmony Boys head into the encounter knowing that a positive result could significantly boost their chances of avoiding relegation as the season enters its decisive phase.
Having arrived in Ibadan on Friday, the team have been afforded time to acclimatise ahead of the 4pm kickoff, with a final training session scheduled to take place on Saturday evening on the stadium’s natural turf.
Kwara United have been handed a timely boost with the return of several key players. Issa Gata is back in the squad after attending to personal matters, while Bright Babatunde returns from suspension following a spell out due to yellow card accumulation.
Captain AbdulAfeez Musa is also available again, strengthening the team’s options at a critical stage of the campaign. However, Ini Emmanuel and Seun Ogunribide were not included in the travelling squad.
The reverse fixture between both sides earlier in the season ended goalless at the Kwara Sports Stadium, and Kwara United will be aiming to improve on that outcome as they seek maximum points on the road.
Head coach Ashifat Suleiman’s side arrive in Ibadan in improved form, having recorded consecutive victories over Nasarawa United and El-Kanemi Warriors, results that have lifted confidence within the squad ahead of this decisive run-in.
The Oluyole Warriors, will be driven by their own ambitions as they look to finish the season strongly and potentially secure a continental place.
With contrasting objectives at stake, Kwara United fighting for survival and Shooting Stars pushing for a strong finish, the encounter is expected to be fiercely contested, with the outcome likely to be determined over a tense 90 minutes in Ibadan.
