Sporting Lagos began their 2026 ValueJet Cup campaign in emphatic fashion on Sunday, defeating hosts Remo Stars 3-1 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne in an action-packed opening fixture that produced four goals and a red card.
Haruna Hadi was the standout performer for Sporting Lagos, scoring twice in the first half before Olalekan Malik added a third after the break, while Valentine Egwu’s second-half strike proved only a consolation for Remo Stars.
Sporting Lagos needed just five minutes to take the lead, with Hadi finding the back of the net to give the visitors an early advantage. Remo Stars’ hopes of recovering quickly suffered another blow two minutes later when Olisa Emmanuel was shown a red card in the seventh minute, leaving the hosts to play the majority of the contest with 10 men.
Sporting Lagos capitalised on the numerical advantage and continued to control proceedings, with Hadi completing his brace in the 31st minute to give the visitors a 2-0 lead going into the interval.
The Lagos-based side remained firmly in control after the restart and extended their advantage eight minutes into the second half when Malik scored in the 53rd minute to make it 3-0.
Remo Stars refused to go down without a fight and eventually reduced the deficit through Egwu in the 71st minute, but Sporting Lagos successfully managed the closing stages to secure a convincing 3-1 victory.
The win gives Sporting Lagos an impressive opening result in a tournament that has grown into one of the notable pre-season competitions on the Nigerian football calendar. The ValueJet Cup was launched in 2022 and has provided clubs with an opportunity to gain competitive match fitness, assess new players and fine-tune their squads ahead of the new domestic season.
The competition has also attracted established Nigerian clubs, including teams competing in the Nigeria Premier Football League and sides involved in continental competitions, making it more than a routine collection of pre-season friendlies.
The 2026 edition is scheduled to run from August 9 to August 16 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, with the tournament also carrying a special significance as it is being dedicated to the memory of Otunba Tade Azeez, the late chairman of the competition.
The tournament’s growing importance was highlighted by last year’s edition, when Ikorodu City emerged champions after finishing ahead of Kwara United, Shooting Stars, Abia Warriors, Rivers United and Remo Stars.
For participating clubs, the ValueJet Cup offers a competitive environment in which coaches can test tactical approaches and new signings while players fight for places ahead of the season. For Sporting Lagos, however, the immediate priority was simply to get off to a winning start, and they did so in convincing fashion.
Hadi’s early brace set the tone, Malik’s second-half goal strengthened the advantage, and despite Egwu’s late response, Sporting Lagos remained composed enough to claim a 3-1 victory over the hosts.
The result leaves Sporting Lagos with an early statement in the 2026 ValueJet Cup, while Remo Stars will have to regroup quickly as they continue their preparations for the new season.
With the competition only just getting underway, Sporting Lagos have already provided one of its first major talking points—and Hadi has wasted no time putting his name among the early standout performers of the tournament.
