Lagos Liga: Gular FC defeats Sporting Lagos Fans 3-2 to go top of Group B
Recap
Campos Memorial Mini Stadium
Gular FC
Sporting Lagos Fans Team
Gular FC defeated Sporting Lagos 3-2 at the Campos Memorial Mini Stadium to go top of Lagos Liga Group B on Saturday, 7 December 2024.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The encounter got off to a flying start as Idris Lawal opened the scoring for Sporting Lagos after just fifty-five seconds. The Sporting Lagos forward slotted home a fine finish after being played through on goal to score the tournament’s fastest-ever goal.
Gular FC responded eight minutes later with an equaliser from Chuma Hilary, who capitalised on Sporting Lagos’ failure to clear the ball after Lawal Ahmed’s cross. Gular FC came forward again after the equalizer and won a corner, which Odah Emmanuel attacked at the back post. However, the defender’s header was not enough to trouble Abdulganiu Nafiu in the Sporting Lagos goal.
Gular FC combined devastatingly well on the counter as Gambo Aaron found Hadji Godwin with a pass on the edge of the Sporting Lagos box. The Gular FC number eleven faked the goalkeeper and buried the ball into the back of the net to give his team a 2-1 lead. In the 16th minute, Gular FC scored a third goal to pull two clear via a Gambo Aaron strike.
Sporting Lagos made the first substitution of the game seconds after conceding the third goal, with Kanyim replacing Morakinyo. A minute later, Sporting Lagos halved the deficit, with Lateef scoring to make it 3-2 after an assist from Abdulganiyu Nafiu. The referee brought an end to the highest-scoring game of the inaugural Lagos Liga so far, with Sporting Lagos having the larger share of possession but failing to make it count.
Damidayoku Emmanuel came on for Guler FC seven minutes into the second half, replacing Gambo Aaron. Similarly, Kashim Babatunde and Olajide Ojo came on for Sporting Lagos in the 29th minute as they sought a way back into the game.
In the 32nd minute, Olajide Ojo found Afeez Ajao on the edge of the Gular box, and then the Sporting Lagos number 4 got away quickly from his markers to unleash a shot that flew inches wide of the mark. Hussein James replaced Lawal Ahmed in the 33rd minute as Sporting Lagos came close to getting an equaliser from a corner through Chidi and Olajide.
Damidoyoku Emmanuel shot wide in the 39th minute after Nafu parried the ball away from an Odah Emmanuel cross. Gambo Aaron was brought on again as Gular FC’s Usen James received the first booking of the game. Sporting Lagos’ last chance to get an equalizer went begging after a well-worked freekick ended in a disappointing header from Hassan just inside the Gular penalty area.
The referee signalled the end of the five-goal thriller as Gular FC won 3-2 to claim all three points. At the end of the penalty shootout, Gular FC ran out 3-2 winners to claim the extra point. The result sees Gular FC go top of group B with four points while Sporting Lagos sit bottom with zero points. Mavbrooks and 30BG occupy second and third place with two points and one point, respectively.
Results
| Club | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Goals | Possession | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gular FC | 3 | 0 | 3 | — | Win |
| SLFT | 2 | 0 | 2 | — | Loss |
MATCH STATISTICS
