Striker Aliyu Baba continued his impressive goalscoring form in the Nigeria National League (NNL) with a stunning hattrick on Sunday, but his efforts were not enough to keep Sporting Lagos in contention for a spot in the NNL Super 8.
Sporting Lagos played out a thrilling 3-3 draw away to Solution FC in a must-win encounter. Baba, 21, netted all three goals for his side, bringing his tally to six goals in just five starts since joining the club in March.
Read Also: Italian Coach’s Arrival Signals Strategic Shift In Nigerian Fencing — NFF President Adeyinka Samuel
However, a late comeback by the home side dashed Sporting’s hopes of promotion back to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Baba was signed during the mid-season transfer window from Mahanaim FC, as Sporting Lagos added to their attacking option ahead of the second half of the campaign.
The move paid off immediately, with the young striker opening his account with a brace in a 3-2 away win over Abakaliki FC.
He followed that performance with a goal off the bench against First Bank FC, before capping off his season with a sensational hattrick on Sunday.
In total, Baba recorded six goals across nine appearances—five starts and four off the bench—making him one of the standout performers in the NNL’s second stanza.
Despite Sporting Lagos falling short of their promotion target, Baba’s consistent performances have made him one of the hottest prospects in the division.
His form has already begun to draw attention from clubs across the country.
With the season now concluded for Sporting Lagos, all eyes will be on Aliyu Baba’s next move, as he emerges as a bright spark in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Lagos-based club
 with a stunning hattrick on Sunday,){kind=link}