Sporting Lagos remained at the summit of the 2026 ValueJet Cup standings after an entertaining third day of action produced seven goals across three matches at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
Although Sporting Lagos did not feature on Day 3, their back-to-back victories over Remo Stars and Shooting Stars have kept them firmly in first place with six points, while the results elsewhere have intensified the battle for the semi-final places.
READ ÀLSO: Sporting Lagos, Rangers Tighten Grip on ValueJet Cup as Semi-Final Race Intensifies
The day’s action began with Inter Lagos claiming a 2-1 victory over Doma United, earning an important three points in their bid to stay in contention for a place in the last four. The result provided Inter Lagos with a much-needed boost after their opening defeat to Rangers International.
Remo Stars also bounced back from their disappointing opening-day defeat to Sporting Lagos by defeating Shooting Stars 2-1. The hosts had been beaten 3-1 by Sporting Lagos in the tournament’s opening fixture but responded with a more determined display to get their campaign back on track.
The third fixture ended in a 1-1 draw between Rivers United and Smart City, leaving both sides with a point from the encounter and keeping the competition for the qualifying positions open.
Seven goals were scored across the three matches, with the results providing another reminder of the competitive nature of this year’s tournament.
Sporting Lagos remain the team setting the early pace after opening their campaign with a 3-1 win over Remo Stars before defeating Shooting Stars 2-0 on Day 2.
Haruna Hadi’s brace and Olalekan Malik’s goal secured the opening victory, while the 2-0 triumph over Shooting Stars gave the Lagos club a perfect six points from two matches.
Rangers International have also made a perfect start, collecting six points from their opening two matches after consecutive 1-0 victories over Inter Lagos and Doma United.
The Enugu club’s two clean sheets have placed them alongside Sporting Lagos at the top end of the standings as the race for the semi-finals begins to take shape.
The early form of Sporting Lagos has naturally generated excitement among their supporters, particularly with the club preparing for its first Nigeria Premier Football League campaign after winning the 2025/26 Nigeria National League title and securing promotion to the topflight.
The ValueJet Cup, however, remains a pre-season competition, and Sporting Lagos’ strong performances should be viewed primarily as an encouraging sign of their preparation for the new NPFL campaign rather than proof of a future league title challenge.
The club will nevertheless take confidence from the way they have started the tournament, having scored five goals in their opening two matches and conceded only once.
For the other teams, Day 3 produced valuable opportunities to recover ground. Remo Stars’ victory means their opening-day setback has not ended their hopes, while Inter Lagos’ win has put them back into the conversation.
Rivers United and Smart City, meanwhile, will have to build on their draw if they are to remain in contention for the knockout stage.
The 2026 ValueJet Cup is being staged at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne from August 9 to 16 and has brought together a collection of established Nigerian clubs for competitive pre-season preparation.
The tournament, which was launched in 2022, provides participating teams with an opportunity to assess their squads, test new players and build match fitness before the domestic season begins.
This year’s edition is also being played in memory of Otunba Tade Azeez, the late chairman of the ValueJet Cup, whose involvement helped shape the tournament since its establishment.
With the group-stage race now entering a crucial phase, Sporting Lagos and Rangers have established themselves as the early frontrunners, but the results from Day 3 show that the chasing teams are not prepared to surrender their semi-final ambitions.
For Sporting Lagos, the challenge will now be to maintain the momentum that has made them the early headline act of the tournament.
Their supporters may already be dreaming about what the new NPFL season could bring, but for now, the focus remains firmly on finishing the ValueJet Cup campaign on a high.
And if their opening two performances are anything to go by, Sporting Lagos have certainly given the rest of the competition plenty to think about.
