Match Report and Highlight : Sporting Lagos back to winning ways against Niger Tornadoes

Team News

Coach Paul made two changes to the side that faced Remo Stars last week — Onyeka made his full debut in defense, replacing injured Aliu while Akpesiri started ahead of Rivio as we looked to mix things up in attack

First-Half Dominance From the outset, we played on the front foot, creating chances but were unable to find the back of the net.

The breakthrough came in the 28th minute with a swiftly executed counter. Akpesiri’s swift movement on the flank led to a precise cross finding Jonathan, who fired home his second goal in two consecutive games. 1-0 Sporting Lagos.

Lokosa Doubles As the half progressed, our persistence remained, and just on the brink of halftime, Lokosa, in a spectacular display, intercepted a defender’s error, skillfully maneuvered into the box, and thundered a magnificent strike, securing his first goal for the club and extending our lead to a comfortable two-goal advantage.

Tornadoes’ Second-Half Surge The second half witnessed a resurgent Niger Tornadoes, gradually growing into the game and applying substantial pressure. Despite their intensified efforts, our defense held its own and weathered the storm. We still created occasional chances while maintaining the lead.

However, in the 67th minute, Tornadoes capitalized on a defensive lapse as a long ball was poorly dealt with and there was some scrappiness in the box. The late goal set up a tense finale with both sides going for that extra goal, but the scores remained the same.

MATCH HIGHLIGHT

Full time, Sporting Lagos 2-1 Niger Tornadoes.

A big result to return us to winning ways.

Afterwards, Coach Paul said:

On how the team feels:

We’re very happy with the victory because it’s a game we needed to win to climb the table. Going two games without a win, we really needed this. 

On rotating the squad due to injuries:

We’ve been unlucky this season. We now have four of our centre backs injured in first-halves of the games we’ve played. We had to use Nnamdi, a defensive midfielder, in defense today, and I’m happy with his performance and the fact that we were able to get a result. 

On the next game, against Kwara:

We hope to build on what we have done today and pick up all three points on the road. We need the away points. The faster we get them, the better for us. 

On the fixture congestion this week:

We are. At the moment, it’s not a good period for us because of the injuries we have at the back. But we have enough good players in the squad to see us through.

LOOKING AHEAD

With this crucial win under our belts, we now turn our attention to the upcoming fixture against Kwara United in Ilorin on Wednesday, 1st November. We approach the highly anticipated clash as we look to grab our first three points on the road.

MATCH STATS AND NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

Jonathan’s Consistent Form:  Jonathan’s goal marked his second consecutive goal in as many games, underlining his impressive run of form.

Lokosa’s Debut Goal: Lokosa’s goal not only extended our lead, but also happened to be his first for the club. Hopefully the first of many.

Coach Paul’s Impact: The tactical adjustments made by Coach Paul proved effective as the team showcased a dynamic and attacking style of play, leading to an early advantage.

Highlights

Watch the full highlights of our win against Niger Tornadoes here.