Sporting Lagos 1-1 Bayelsa Utd: 10-man Prosperity Boys deny Tech Boys Christmas Pheelz

Newly promoted Sporting Lagos suffered another frustrating outing in the NPFL after sharing the spoils against Bayelsa United.

The Prosperity Boys held their hosts to a hard-fought 1-1 draw despite playing most of the second half with ten men at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Thursday.

The keenly anticipated clash, which unfolded in a festive atmosphere, saw the home side welcome Afrobeat sensational Pheelz to entertain the fans.

However, Sporting Lagos were ultimately denied the Christmas Pheelz following a fierce battle for supremacy. 

Bayelsa United looked comfortable early on and deservedly took the lead when star man, Robert Mizo, showed why he is the top scorer in the NPFL.

Creating the time and space to elude the Lagos defenders, Mizo found himself at the right place to take advantage of Christian Nwoke’s poor clearance to expertly net the game’s opener for his 10th of the season.

With that goal, the talented forward became the first player to hit double figures in the Nigerian Football League this season, and he achieved the feat in just nine matches. 

With Bayelsa United heading into the break with a slim advantage, Sporting returned for the second energised and rejuvenated as they looked for the elusive equaliser.

The dynamics of the game shifted when the Prosperity Boys were reduced to 10 men following a crucial decision just after the hour mark.

But it was Bayelsa who almost doubled their lead when Mizo again beat the Sporting defence but failed to get his shot off as Nwoke timed his move to perfection to deny him from point blank. 

Bayelsa continued to give their hosts problems until Mizo was forced off with an injury to bring his day to an end.

And just when Bayelsa thought they had done enough to take all three points, Sporting found an equaliser through an excellent screamer from Aliu to ensure both sides shared the spoils.

With the result, Sporting Lagos and Bayelsa United have now gone three matches without a win in the NPFL. Tech Boys sit 14th on the table while Bayelsa remain in the danger zone.