DreamStar FC Ladies

DreamStar FC Ladies is a women's association football club based in Surulere Lagos State, Nigeria and a member of the Nigerian Women Football League (). They have competed in the Nigeria Women Premier League, the highest division for women association football in the country, since the 2018/2019 season,^[1] having gained promotion to the elite league by winning all their lower division's matches.

Known as Dream Stars Ladies, until April 2020, the DreamStar FC Ladies had the distinction of being the only club-side with clean sheet in the 2nd Division Pro league 2017/2018 season in both Northern and Southern Conferences. DreamStar FC Ladies is the female, and most distinguished professional, squad of , a grassroots soccer development company that provides a total value-chain development programme through its football academy for boys and girls to the professional stage. The , its academy, and clubs were created on the 29th of February 2012 by founder and chairman, .

History[]

DreamStar FC Ladies played in the Southern Conference of the lower division of Pro League in the 2017/2018 season, and topped the division, without losing a match. This earned them promotion to the Premier Division of the for the 2018/2019 season.

The first season in the premiership league was not without its challenges, and despite recording some memorable feats such as scoring the most goals for any debutante side (4-0 against ) in the history (2nd highest for any club to Bayelsa Queens' 5 – 1 trouncing of ), and winning the Goal of the Season Award 2018/2019, scored by defender, , DreamStar FC Ladies finished at the bottom of the table in their group. To retain their place in the premier league, DreamStar FC Ladies had to engage in play-offs against three other relegation bound clubs from the other three groups. The debutantes (known then as Dream Stars Ladies) edged 4–2 on penalties after they played out a 1–1 draw in regulation time at the Fifa Goal Project pitch, MKO Stadium, to avoid relegation. The team secured a lead in the 21st minute of the play-off, as ’s corner kick found captain , whose header beat the 's goalkeeper. However, the Benue State based side fought back in the second half and levelled matters in the 84th minute through Kafayat Bashiru before full-time, but eventually bowed out in the ensuing penalty kicks.^[2]

2019/2020 season[]

In the 2019/2020 the changes its 4-group format to 2 groups, to enable higher quality of competition. DreamStar FC Ladies have been drawn into Group A, along with , , Sunshine Stars FC, Bayelsa Queens FC, , , and Edo Queens FC. The top two teams from each group will qualify automatically for the Nigeria Women's Super Cup (also known as The Super 4 Championship), while the last teams from the two groups will get relegated to the - 2nd Division Pro League.^[3]

2020/2021 season[]

The 2020-2021 match fixtures:

Players[]

2020-2021 League Season

The team list for the 2020-2021 league season is as below:

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  NGA 2 DF  NGA 3 DF  NGA 4 MF  NGA 5 DF  NGA 6 DF  NGA 7 FW  NGA 8 MF  NGA 9 MF  NGA 10 MF  NGA (vice-captain) 11 MF  NGA 12 MF  NGA (captain) 13 MF  NGA 14 FW  NGA 15 DF  NGA 16 DF  NGA 17 FW  NGA 18 MF  NGA 19 MF  NGA

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 MF  NGA 21 GK  NGA 22 MF  NGA 23 FW  NGA 24 DF  NGA 25 DF  NGA 26 MF  NGA 27 FW  NGA 28 DF  NGA 29 MF  NGA 30 MF  NGA 31 FW  NGA 32 MF  NGA 33 DF  NGA 34 DF  NGA 35 GK  NGA 38 MF  NGA 39 DF  NGA 40 MF  NGA

2019-2020 League Season

The 2019-2020 team list as released by the club's management:

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 DF  NGA 3 DF  NGA 4 MF  NGA 6 MF  NGA 7 FW  NGA 8 MF  NGA 9 MF  NGA 10 MF  NGA (vice-captain) 12 MF  NGA 13 MF  NGA 14 FW  NGA 15 DF  NGA 16 DF  NGA 18 MF  NGA 19 MF  NGA

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 DF  NGA 21 GK  NGA 22 MF  NGA 23 DF  NGA 24 DF  NGA 25 DF  NGA 27 DF  NGA 28 DF  NGA (captain) 29 DF  NGA 30 FW  NGA 31 GK  NGA 32 DF  NGA 33 GK  NGA 37 MF  NGA 40 DF  NGA

Business Development[]

DreamStar FC Ladies and their owner, , are not without the usual problem that assails privately owned soccer clubs in Africa - inadequate funding. In order to position the DreamStar FC Ladies as a truly professional club of international standard, the owner has sought the help of a sports development consulting firm to re-vamp its image and build a highly visible brand, with the intent of proving to prospective sponsors and partners that the club is not only serious about remaining in the top-flight soccer arena in Nigeria and Africa, but that it intends to remain one of the best and profitable club-sides. As a kick-off to the 2019–2020 season, the club owners have made two prominent changes.

Apart from listed changes, the club underwent internal process and team management changes that impacts on managing and technical improvement. Other notable improvement initiatives included design of a professional and engaging website, revamping and harmonising the social media pages, organising technical training and skills development for the coaching crew, building team psychology around the vision of the club, and establishing a supporters' club model to foster brand loyalty among Lagos fans.

References[]

External links[]

• COVID-19: Dream Stars Ladies Proceed on Break