…bag N25 million prize
Sporting Lagos has emerged the champions of the Naija Super 8 tournament, securing victory in a thrilling final 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. As the winners, they claimed the trophy and a prize of N25 million, while 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.
Yessssss go Sporting Lagos pic.twitter.com/e8SnQu81pN
— CHRIS (@I_am_chrisay) July 16, 2023
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.
Oh, it wasn’t a dream 😅 pic.twitter.com/uIhVNRmGzk
— Sporting Lagos (@SportingLagos) July 17, 2023
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.
SPORTING LAGOS.
NAIJA SUPER 8 WINNERS. pic.twitter.com/H6DKllLP2C
— Sporting Lagos (@SportingLagos) July 16, 2023
Sporting Lagos’ wining goal tweeted by CHRIS ‘@I_am_chrisay’
Yessssss go Sporting Lagos
Credit: BUSINESS DAY.
