30BG fall short as Tafida, Apollos strike propels Primal Sporting into Lagos Liga title decider

Recap

Lagos Liga 2024 Semi-finals

Mobalaji Johnson Arena

December 27, 2024, 11:00 AM

30BG SC

Primal Sporting

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Preview

Primal Sporting produced a dominant performance to defeat 30BG 3-0 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in the second semi-final of the Lagos Liga on Friday, 27 December 2024, setting up a highly anticipated final showdown with Applebee FC.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The match began at an electrifying pace, with Stephen Boluwatife taking the first shot within 22 seconds of kick-off. However, his weak attempt did little to trouble Sunday Stephen in the Primal Sporting goal. Two minutes later, Boluwatife tried again, this time forcing a near-post save from the Primal Sporting shot-stopper.

Mukhtar Shuaibu had the first clear chance for Primal Sporting in the fifth minute when he played Gulani Abdulmalik through on goal. The forward rounded the goalkeeper but failed to convert, allowing 30BG to escape early punishment.

Despite a promising start from 30BG, Primal Sporting gradually took control of the game, dictating the tempo and now creating more openings.

Musa Ademu attempted a long-range effort in the 10th minute after being teed up by captain Hassan Abba, but his shot flew wide.

Primal’s growing dominance finally paid off in the 14th minute when a swift counter-attack saw Abba win possession in midfield and drive forward before threading a pass to Abdulmalik, who fired a precise right-footed strike into the bottom left corner of Opeyemi Joseph’s goal.

Just two minutes later, Abdulmalik latched onto a long clearance from Sunday Stephen and squared the ball to Hassan Lawrence, whose shot was blocked by Amodu Hammed.

Notwithstanding the goal conceded, 30BG refused to sit back and found their rhythm in a brief spell of pressure. Their best chance of the first half came in the 21st minute when a shot from Bougha Cashmir struck the arm of a Primal Sporting defender just outside the box and Tunji Adeleke played the short resultant free-kick to Fadipe Saheed, who flicked it to Yisa Toheeb. However, Toheeb’s shot was blocked, and Cashmir failed to capitalise on the rebound.

Primal Sporting resumed the second half with the same intensity. Barely a minute in, Hassan Abba lofted a ball into the box, leading to a collision between Aliyu Tafida and goalkeeper Opeyemi Joseph. The loose ball fell to Hassan Lawrence, who thought he had doubled the lead with a simple tap-in. However, after a prolonged VAR check, the goal was disallowed for a foul on Joseph.

Abba continued to dictate play, combining well with Tafida and Jonah Apollos in attack. In the 27th minute, 30BG nearly equalised when Idowu Kazeem slipped a pass through to Uche Ezemuoha, but his shot was smothered by the onrushing Sunday Stephen.

30BG mounted another quick attack minutes later when Adeleke’s throw-in found Kazeem, who skipped past two defenders before laying the ball off to Boluwatife Stephen. The forward played in Fadipe, who teed up the running Adeleke, but his shot lacked power and was comfortably saved.

Amodu Hammed made two crucial goal-line clearances in the 29th minute, denying both Apollos and Lawrence to keep 30BG’s hopes alive. However, the pressure was relentless, and Primal Sporting finally doubled their lead in the 34th minute.

Abba, who had already played a pivotal role in the game, delivered a perfectly weighted through ball to Apollos, who rifled a near-post finish into the net.

Primal Sporting sealed the victory in the 41st minute when Tafida pounced on a rebound from Joseph’s save. Abba had initially unleashed a ferocious strike, which Joseph parried, but Tafida reacted quickest to nod home the loose ball, bringing his goal tally to six goals in the competition and extending his lead as the outright top scorer.

As the final whistle blew, Primal Sporting celebrated the emphatic 3-0 victory, setting up a highly anticipated title clash against Applebee FC in the Lagos Liga final.

MATCH STATISTICS

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

TEAM SHEETS