Sporting Lagos Draw Doma United, Continue Bright Start To NPFL
Sporting Lagos continued their impressive start in the Nigeria Professional Football League with a goalless draw against Doma United.
The noisy Lagosians secured their first-ever top-flight win two weeks ago against Gombe United at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena. A goalless draw away to Awka United, and another draw this weekend give them five points from their first three games in the League.
Coach Paul returned to the sidelines after his short absence from the team during the last game, and Super Eagles striker, Junior Lokosa, was called into the starting lineup for his new club for the very first time since he joined the club.
Central defender, Patrick Egoenu picked up an injury just about twenty minutes into the game, forcing coach Offor into an early change, with Ekene Olisema coming off the bench to replace the injured Patrick.
Christian Nwoke kept Sporting safe at the back, but the home side got their first big chance after thirty-seven minutes. Lokosa found space for a shot but was brilliantly denied by the opposition goalkeeper.
The 30-year-old had another chance to score his first Sporting goal, but a corner from Chisom Orji met with the striker who rose highest to meet the cross but sent his effort wide, just before the half-time whistle.
Doma United came to life in the second half. A blazing counterattack from the Gombe natives was thwarted by Christian Nwoke who made two brilliant saves from point-blank range to keep Sporting Lagos in the game.
As the game winded down, both teams began to play it safe and waited till the clock ticked down to the referee’s final whistle, ending the game in another draw.
Sporting have failed to score in their last two games and while that can be a worry for their fans, they can take the positives from their defensive solidity so far in the league. They play Remo-Stars away in the tantalizing South-West derby next weekend.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
