Down and Out, but Sporting Lagos Will Be Back
Sporting Lagos have been relegated to the Nigerian National League after just one season in the top flight, following a 1-0 loss to Shooting Stars of Ibadan.
Christian Pyagbara’s first-half header was enough to clinch victory for the home side and seal Sporting Lagos’ fate.
The Lagos-based team needed a win and favorable results elsewhere, but that didn’t happen. What began as a season of high hopes and excitement, especially after their Super 8 victory, ended in a disappointing 17th-place finish.
Surely, this wasn’t part of the Sporting Lagos fairytale story, right? It wasn’t supposed to go this way.
But then, fairytale stories have bumps, and this should be just a bump for the team.
Founded in February 2022 by Shola Akinlade, the club’s achievements in such a short time have been nothing short of remarkable.
After a tough first season in the NNL, Sporting Lagos made the playoffs in its second year, finishing second in Group B behind eventual NNL winners Heartland of Owerri. That guaranteed qualification to the NPFL.
They then emerged victorious in the 2023 Naija Super 8 Championship, defeating Remo Stars 4-2 on penalties—a tournament they entered as wildcards.
The bond they have created among Lagosians on this journey is also worth noting. The atmosphere at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan during Sporting Lagos games is electric. Nigerian youths flock in numbers to watch football, with the Happy Corner, pioneered by Ojobamiji, and the TSL community cheering the team regardless of the result. It’s a sight to behold.
Lives were changed, memories were made—the joy of victory, the agony of defeat, and the neutrality of draws. With fans have come critics, of course, a sign that something is being done right.
After the loss to Shooting Stars, board member Fola Olatunji-David posted on X to reiterate the club’s long-term plans and ideas.
It’s a long-term plan, so there’s no rush. While not drawing direct comparisons, we’ve seen Remo Stars go through similar challenges. The Ogun State-based side gained promotion in 2016, faced relegation twice, but in the past three seasons, they’ve finished in the top 3. Although Sporting Lagos may have a different journey, Remo Stars have shown that it’s possible to bounce back.
Sporting Lagos will begin life again in the NNL, and best believe I’ll be there to watch their progress.
It’s a long game, one that will yield results in due time. Sporting Lagos may be down and out, but they will be back.
