Sporting Lagos FC clinched a hard-fought victory against Niger Tornadoes, securing their second home win on Match Day 5 of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The showdown, a well-attended late-night football spectacle, unfolded at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.
Sporting Lagos FC opened the match on a positive note, asserting their dominance in the first half. They reaped the rewards with a fine counterattacking goal, as Jonathan Alukwu found the net in the 27th minute. The former NPFL goal king, Junior Lokosa, extended their lead in the 45th minute, ending the first half with a comfortable two-goal cushion.
In the second half, the visitors regrouped, and Yahuza Bala, a new addition to their ranks, reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the 67th minute through a splendid combination with Bashir Usman. Bala continued to threaten the Tech Boys, nearly equalising, but the centre referee, after consulting his assistant, disallowed the goal for offside.
The man of the match, Junior Lokosa, commended the team’s collective effort for the hard-earned victory. He stated, “I am happy to have contributed my own part to the win in spite of poor results in our last two matches.” He acknowledged the fans’ support and the team’s resilience in the face of injury concerns.
On the other hand, the Chairman of Niger Tornadoes, Adamu Aliyu, expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating and blamed his side’s loss on poor refereeing. He criticized the assistant referee for disallowing a “clean goal” and emphasized the impact of officiating on Nigerian football.
Sporting Lagos FC will now travel to Ilorin to face Kwara United FC for the mid-week Match Day 6 fixture.
Match Day 5 Results and Upcoming Fixtures
Match Day 5 Results (Sunday):
- Kastina United FC 3 – 2 Sunshine Stars FC
- Abia Warriors FC 1 – 0 Heartland FC
- Bayelsa United FC 2 – 1 Kwara United FC
- Rivers United FC 1 – 0 Lobi Stars FC
- Shooting Stars FC 3 – 1 Doma United FC
- Sport Lagos FC 2 – 1 Niger Tornadoes FC
- Enyimba International FC vs Remo Stars FC (postponed)
Matches Played on Saturday:
- Gombe United FC 1 – 0 Plateau United FC
- Bendel Insurance FC 0 – 0 Akwa United FC
- Enugu Rangers International FC 4 – 1 Kano Pillars FC
Upcoming Match Day 6 Fixtures (November 1):
- Akwa United FC vs Gombe United FC
- Sunshine Stars FC vs Abia Warriors FC
- Niger Tornadoes FC vs Enyimba International FC
- Remo Stars FC vs Shooting Stars FC
- Plateau United FC vs Katsina United FC
- Kwara United FC vs Sporting Lagos FC
- Kano Pillars FC vs Bayelsa United FC
- Heartland FC vs Rivers United FC
Upcoming Match Day 6 Fixtures (November 2):
- Doma United FC vs Bendel Insurance FC
- Lobi Stars FC vs Rangers International FC
