Sporting Lagos has emerged the champions of the Naija Super 8 tournament, they claimed the trophy and a prize of N25 million.
The young football players secured their victory in a thrilling finals held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, Lagos.
Despite falling behind initially, Sporting Lagos made an impressive comeback, holding Remo Stars to a 1-1 draw and eventually clinching victory with a 4-2 penalty shootout win. The runners-up, Remo Stars, received N9 million.
Sporting Lagos, a newly-promoted team in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), proved their mettle by outperforming more established opponents. Unlike Remo Stars, who had to qualify through the South-West zonal conference, Sporting Lagos received a wild card entry.
The Naija Super 8 is an off-season football tournament designed to reignite excitement in local football and engage fans on a deeper level, with the aim of elevating the sport in the country.
Organised by Flykite Productions and endorsed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the NPFL, the tournament introduced innovative elements to enhance its overall appeal.
The participating teams represented various regions across the country, and the selection process involved a voting system that garnered over 1.9 million valid votes. Each zone produced two teams, resulting in knockout matches to determine the representatives for the main tournament.
Sporting Lagos FC, founded in 2022 by Shola Akinlade, co-founder and CEO of Paystack, is a professional football club based in Lagos. Under the leadership of head coach Paul Offor and team manager Yemisi Cole, Sporting Lagos currently competes in the top tier of the Nigerian football league system, the NPFL, after gaining promotion from the Nigeria National League.
The news of Sporting Lagos’ victory sparked reactions on social media, particularly on Twitter, with football fans expressing their views. Some praised the club’s ability to combine football with entertainment, given Lagos’ reputation as an entertainment hub. Others suggested the privatization of Nigerian local clubs to increase excitement in the league.
In addition to the football action, the crowd at the Onikan Stadium was treated to a captivating performance by Seyi Vibes, adding to the festive atmosphere of the event.
Fans reaction
Deji Ogeyingbo, ‘@deji_oges’, said “Sporting Lagos found the perfect blend between Football and entertainment. Lagos being the hub of entertainment surely fits into that bill. You can always guarantee a sold out stadium anytime an artiste is to perform.”
Ayobami, with the handle @dondekojo, called for privatisation of the Nigerian local league. “Bet9ja Owner – Remo stars. Paystack Founder- Sporting Lagos. Government should sell ALL clubs, let’s have this excitement,” he tweeted.
“Is Sporting Lagos – The new King of the Southwest Derby? They have beaten Remo Stars thrice, two times in the #NaijaSuper8. Na wetin Remo Stars dey do Shooting Stars, Sporting Lagos dey epp us revenge 😀😀😀,” according to a tweet by Adepoju Tobi Samuel 🇳🇬; ‘@OgaNlaMedia’.
SAM, also known as @IAm_sAmdePoet, twitted: “A newly promoted team really took team from the elite division to the cleaners! Only in Nigeria!!! Congratulations, Sporting Lagos. 💰N25 million and trophy 🏆 on the line this evening.”
Olawale Adigun, also ‘@SportsAdigun’ on twitter said “Sporting Lagos are Super 8 Champs. But the real work in the big time starts now.”
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