Two years on after their entry into the football terrain of Nigeria, Sporting Lagos have landed at the highest level of football in the country, the Nigeria Premier League.
In a rather unexpected twist on match day 2, Sporting Lagos, the underdogs going into the championship proper, not only handed Stormers their first defeat in the play-offs, they also became the first team out of 8, to pick one out of the four tickets at stake in spectacular fashion, earning 6 points out of 6 naximum points at stake after two matches.
Sporting Lagos scored the opener in the first half through a deflected effort by Ayemwenre Rivio, much against the run of play as Stormers FC from Abeokuta entered the game desperate to record their first victory after a goalless draw against Heartland in the first game.
Undeterred, Stormers FC continued to ply pressure on the Lagos team, in desperate search of the equalizer and their efforts yielded dividends in the 80th minute as the referee awarded the Sakiru Lawal tutored side a well deserved penalty following an infringement on a rampaging Stormers striker who dribbled his way into the 18 yard box before he was upended by a temperamental Sporting defender.
The penalty was well celebrated by the Stormers bench but their joy was short lived, cut short by a very alert Sporting goal keeper, Nwoke Christian who won the man of the match award for stopping the kick from the spot amongst several other saves in the game.
A counter attacking goal by Okon Saturday in the 90th minute brought the game to a halt, the spectators at the stadium to their feet, and the Lagos fans to a state of delirium. Chants of “We are going up, We are going up” rented the air. The game as a contest was effectively over.
Sporting Lagos, the new Sheriff in town.
