Sports
Premier League Matches Return Sets Lagos Agog
It is no longer news that
Lagos used to be the Mecca of Nigeria football in the past due mainly to the number of clubs that once participated in the nation’s thriving league scene.
At the height of football splendour in Lagos, colourful sides like Stationery Stores FC, NEPA FC, ACB FC, Julius Berger FC and First Bank FC at one time or the order held their football fans spellbound with their magical displays.
But eventually the eminent status that Lagos had in Nigerian football petered out because of challenges culminating in poor performance that saw the high flying Lagos clubs relegated to the lower rung of the Nigerian league.
Fans hostilities during national football team matches and national league matches also aided in dousing the flame of football in the state.
Because of the unruly nature of the football fans, the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) now known as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), had to stage matches involving the Super Eagles in Port Harcourt and elsewhere.
The ensuing development gradually turned the National Stadium Surulere into a “Ghost Town’’ of sorts, in addition to the relegation of the once flamboyant clubs like Stationery Stores et al into obscurity.
But the impending campaign of Mountain of Fire and Miracle FC and Ikorodu United FC in the 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL will no doubt reignite the passion for league football in Lagos.
It will be germane to note that football fans around the country are already re-cultivating the attitude of storming league matches to cheer their teams to victory.
As tge NPFL matches resume this month, opes are currently high among fans as they anticipate the re-emergence of league matches in football-starved Lagos ahead of the kick-off of the upcoming season in 2016.
The Chairman of Lagos State Football Association (LSFA), Seyi Akinwunmi, said that the promotion of the two Lagos sides to the NPFL would once more ignite league followership in the state.
Akinwunmi said that the remarkable development would spur the growth of grassroots football in the state, adding that LSFA would assist in preparing the clubs ahead of the new league season.
“I keep on telling people that if you allow me to jump and roll and scream, I will.
“This is because I have been hounded for the past four years by the press over the absence of Lagos clubs from the Nigeria Professional Football League.
“I told people that when the time comes, it will happen and it has happened in a big way and we’ve been proven right.
“The important thing is that Lagos clubs are prepared.
“When we were talking about that, all we wanted was for them to run the clubs properly.
“And as the season begins, we are going to do a lot in terms of preparing them.
“In terms of teaching the people about what to do and I am sure that football is back home,’’ he said.
In the same vein, a former Super Eagles midfielder, Friday Ekpo, said that the return of Lagos clubs to the Nigeria top league would spice up football in the state.
Ekpo, who plied his trade for the defunct Abiola Babes FC in the late 1980s, noted that it would redeem the image of football in Lagos.
“It is a great development and also good for football growth in Lagos. I vividly remember as a player, how fans usually troop out to watch league matches in the past.
“Football is back to its main arena and I know Lagos fans are happy with the development,’’ he said.
Nduka Ugbade, who played for the defunct Niger Dock FC of Lagos, said that the newly promoted teams should be given the much needed support to thrive in the league.
Ugbade said that the task ahead of the clubs went beyond gaining promotion to the NPFL, adding that the sustenance of the clubs in the league was vital.
“There was a time when we had more clubs from Lagos State in the league before everything went bad for most of the clubs.
“The promoted clubs will only remain in the league if they are adequately prepared and well funded.
“By so doing, more clubs from Lagos will gain promotion to the league and reignite passion for football in the state,’’ he said.
Also, a board member of LSFA Falade Oyekan, said that the clubs’ promotion will boost football momentum in Lagos.
Oyekan said that it would also impact on the grassroots development of soccer, adding that the league had returned to its place of prominence.
“Lagos used to be the home of league football in the past and for a very long time we were starved because of the absence of clubs from Lagos.
“We are happy with this development and we know it will have positive impact on football in Lagos,’’ he said.
On the part of the teeming football fans in Lagos and its environs, expectations are high but the fans must learn to curb their unbridled exuberance and to make the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere a veritable Mecca for NPFL matches.
Ajayi writes for News Agency of Nigeria.
Kemi Ajayi
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.