NPFL: Jonathan Alukwu scores as noisy Lagosians fall to defeat against Kwara United

Sporting Lagos won the maiden edition of the Naija Super 8 tournament at the Mobolaji Johson Arena, defeating Remo-Stars in a penalty shoot-out.

Sporting Lagos’s wait for a first away win this season continues after they fell to a midweek defeat at the Kwara State stadium to Kwara United, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Lagos side made the Happy Corner joyful last weekend after a stunning debut goal from Super Eagles striker, Junior Lokosa, sealed three points for Coach Paul Offor’s side against Niger Tornadoes.

Jonathan Alukwu was amongst the goals last time out, and partnering with Lokosa up front in Kwara, scored less than sixty seconds into the game with a stunning shot, leaving the opposition’s goalkeeper with no chance to score his third goal in three games.

With five minutes to half-time, Kwara United’s goalkeeper, Adeyinka Adewale, denied Alukwu a chance to bag a brace with a great save, before the referee pointed to the penalty spot at the other end.

A corner kick fell kindly to the feet of a Kwara midfielder just outside the box, and he whipped the ball into the box, only to hit Emmanuel Odafi’s shoulder, and the referee wasted no time in pointing to the penalty spot.

The Sporting players put up a protest as they thought the referee got the decision wrong, but the decision wasn’t changed, leaving Ejeh Isaiah to score the equalizer from the spot-kick and allow the home side to go into the half-time break with a level scoreline.

Junior Lokosa was taken off at half-time and about twenty minutes into the second half, Alukwu was withdrawn, and Kwara United continued to increase the pressure.

Five minutes to the end of the game, the home side got a free kick on the edge of the box, and was sent it before the delivery fell kindly to Ifeanyi Odimmega, who placed the ball into the bottom of Christian Nwoke’s arm to secure the win for the home side.

https://twitter.com/SportingLagos/status/1719764712781439153

The noisy Lagosians have now won two games, drawn two games, and lost two games in their debut NPFL season.