Sporting Lagos has secured a spot in the semi-finals of the 13th edition of the Gold Cup with a game to spare after defeating 10-man Abakaliki FC 3-0 at the FC Ebedei Stadium in Apele-Sagamu on Sunday.

The MatchDay 3 fixture of Group A got off to an explosive start for Sporting Lagos, who wasted no time in scoring the opening goal in the 4th minute. A quick break by the team saw Ibrahim Abdulganiyu find the bottom left corner of the net.

Things worsened for Abakaliki FC in the 13th minute when Ufeanyi Anyanwu received a straight red card for a technical foul. The De Rice Boys struggled after losing him, and just three minutes later, Sporting Lagos took advantage, doubling their lead with a cool finish from Maleek Sanusi following a well-executed counterattack.

Abakaliki FC had a chance to pull one back before halftime, but Sporting Lagos' goalkeeper, Joseph Okonkwo, was alert and ensured a clean sheet.

Six minutes into the second half, Sporting Lagos continued to dominate, scoring a third goal from a low drive shot by Yusuf Abdullahi. 

This impressive display earned Sporting Lagos the maximum three points, marking their third consecutive win in the pre-season tournament. They remain at the top of the group with nine points.

In another group match, Sunshine Stars overwhelmed GreenLock FC, scoring two second-half goals. At the one-hour mark, Gabriel Adepoju’s introduction proved beneficial when his overhead kick found the back of the net, giving Sunshine Stars their first goal of the 13th Gold Cup. With eight minutes left to play, Kehinde Oluwole sealed the game with a second goal, finalizing the scoreline.