Newly promoted Nigeria Professional Football League side, Sporting Lagos, claimed the maiden Naija Super 8 tournament after beating Remo Stars 4-2 on penalties in a tense final inside a sold-out Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Sunday.
Both clubs clashed for the second time in the competition, with Sporting triumphing 2-1 in the group clash.
With the prize money of N25 million on offer for the winners on the final day, Sporting claimed a famous second win over their new southwest rivals in the shootout after regulation time ended 1-1.
Both goalkeepers had a busy first half, as Christian Nwoke and the woodwork denied Remo in the early stages, Kayode Bankole was also kept on his toes in Remo’s goal, but there was nothing to separate both sides at halftime.
Seven minutes after the restart, Sporting claimed the lead in front of the packed stadium, thanks to Aliu Salawudeen, who poked in a Chiemeka Nwokeji free-kick, after Remo failed to clear their lines.
Minutes after, Sikiru Alimi shot wide for Remo before Bankole made another stunning save to deny Saturday Okon and keep the scoreline 1-0, while Remo’s second-half substitute, Adams Olamilekan, had the ball in the net in the 86th minute, but his effort off Ismail Sodiq’s cross was ruled out for offside.
With three minutes to the end of stoppage time, Olamilekan had his moment again and he finished off an assist from Alimi to make the scoreline 1-1 and send the game into the lottery of penalty shootout.
Former league top scorer and ex-Remo striker Junior Lokosa scored the first kick for Sporting but captain Junior Nduka missed the second kick for Remo and the one-year-old Lagos side went on to convert all their kicks to claim their first major piece of silverware in the off-season tournament.
Following Sporting’s promotion to the NPFL, both clubs will rekindle their new found southwest rivalry in the league next season.
