Sporting Lagos emerged champions of this year’s Super-4 tournament in the Nigerian National League (NNL) despite a narrow 1-0 defeat to rivals Inter Lagos on Friday.
Bashir Hassan scored the only goal in the seventh minute at the Ikenne v in Ogun State, latching onto a perfect pass from Kafaru Olaniyan. However, the result proved insufficient for Inter Lagos to overturn Sporting Lagos’ superior goal difference.
Sporting Lagos dominated physically and displayed artistry throughout the match. Coach Butler Jeffrey’s side created several scoring opportunities, including a dangerous 23rd-minute direct free kick that forced a brilliant save from Inter’s goalkeeper.
Inter Lagos fought back strongly but squandered two clear chances before halftime, as both teams delivered an entertaining contest before a packed crowd.
The victory capped a successful season for Sporting Lagos, who claimed their first NNL crown. The triumph marks the club’s fifth trophy since its establishment in 2022.
Reward Bonanza
Beyond the title, Sporting Lagos players and officials celebrated a substantial financial windfall. The club paid ₦56,000 to each matchday squad member and selected officials after every regular-season victory. For winning the Super-4, the reward structure expanded to cover the full 30-man squad and technical team.
Sporting Lagos collected more than ₦18 million in total from the initiative. The club had already earned ₦16,688,000 during the regular campaign the highest among the four Super-4 participants. Inter Lagos and Doma United each received ₦11,592,000, while Ranchers Bees got ₦9,016,000.
Across the league, the initiative distributed ₦287,168,000 through 5,128 transactions. Organizers also awarded an additional ₦8.1 million in end-of-season individual prizes.
Forward Aliyu Baba scooped the highest goalscorer award and ₦880,000. Paul Offor won Best Coach, while goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba claimed the Best Goalkeeper prize both receiving ₦880,000 each. Yahaya Hussaini earned the Most Valuable Player award, and Barnabas Imenger took home the Goal of the Season honor.
