Sporting Lagos have secured a return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Osun United at the Lanre Leke Stadium in Ileogbo on Thursday.
The Tech Boys went into the decisive fixture knowing that only a win would guarantee promotion, with Akwa United just a point behind and also pushing for a return to the topflight. While Akwa United kept their hopes alive with a win over Solution FC, Sporting Lagos held their nerve to seal their own destiny.
Forward Alex Leme proved decisive in the 17th minute, calmly finishing off a precise assist from strike partner Aliyu Baba. The goal sparked wild celebrations among Sporting Lagos supporters, who followed the action with excitement from the car park area.
Osun United were handed a lifeline in the first half when the referee pointed to the spot, but the resulting penalty was missed—much to the relief of the visitors and their travelling fans.
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Elsewhere at the Akwa Stadium in Anambra, Akwa United secured a win over Solution FC, but it was not enough to overturn the points gap. They finished second on the log, just one point behind Sporting Lagos at the end of the 2025/26 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
It is a fitting end to the campaign for Sporting Lagos, who return to the NPFL after spending two seasons in the second tier of Nigerian football.
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