In a move to build its brand awareness among Nigerian football fans, Lekki Astro Sports Club League is seeking national and international sponsorship deals to boost an exhilarating season of action, star-studded matchups, and unforgettable moments.

The Lekki Astro League is a fast-growing all-star sports club league in the Lekki Axis of Lagos, with over 100 quality multi-ethnic and diaspora members from various walks of life, aged between (35-60) years. It has members including some ex-Super Eagles players and prominent ex-European-based professional players.

The league kicks off in October 2024 and ends towards the end of the year with awards and a gala night takes place in December 2024.

A press release by the league management reads:
“LASC League has a long-standing connection with football globally and we look forward to developing annually. It is an annual tournament, which aims to promote peace, love, and unity through football to keep fit while challenging ourselves further through competition. The league will bring Nigerians and other part of Africa together with the motive of unity irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.”

“The Lekki Astro League is purely Nigerian, as all members are Nigerians even though some members reside abroad. All materials and equipment for the league are sourced locally.”

“Our objective is to have sponsors partner with us as we kick-start our 2024 league cup in October 2024 and wrap up our annual End of the year/awards night coming up in December 2024.

According to the statement, Lekki Astro League is an intra-football tournament comprised of four football teams while the kick-off stretches across six weeks with 12 matches to be played in a regular league format. The four teams participating in this season are Team Harrison Group, Team Smart FC, Team Success, and Team Las Pinas Luxury.

The statement continues: “The 3rd edition of the LASC league promises to be bigger and better than the previous editions, as we gradually continue to improve on the template that was established from the inaugural edition. This is the first time we will be having entirely different sponsors from the initial editions.

This year’s edition promises to be more exciting as our membership increases annually with competent individuals who are competent on the field of play,” it concluded.

LASC league is delighted to announce the individual sponsorship of Chief Harrison Okorie, Mr. Smart Ibe, Mr Chima Njoku, and Mr. Chigozie Igwebuike to commence the “incredible season”

Real Madrid suffered a shock Champions League defeat against Lille on Wednesday night, and Carlo Ancelotti has identified one player as his side’s weakest link.

Los Blancos were beaten 1-0 away to Lille following a 48th-minute penalty from Jonathan David.

It was not his side’s best night at the office, and Ancelotti was understandably unhappy with Madrid’s lacklustre performance.

“Lille were better and deserved to win. We were bad and slow tonight,” the Italian told reporters after the game, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

“We didn’t create, the possession was slow, no ideas. We were bad under every aspect.”

Although the entire squad must stand up and take responsibility for what was an out-of-character display, one player’s abysmal showing stood out more than others.

The 29-year-old experienced such a troublesome first half that Ancelotti hauled him off at halftime for Fran Garcia.

And according to Defensa Central, the Real Madrid boss is tired of the Frenchman’s performances and would prefer he is moved on.

Alphonso Davies on list of replacements
Mendy recently penned a deal until 2027 so is under no pressure to leave the Spanish capital.

However, with Ancelotti pushing Florentino Perez to sign Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies it seems Mendy’s days, certainly as a regular starter, are numbered.

Since the start of the season, Mendy, despite starting in all six of Madrid’s La Liga games so far, has failed to register a single goal or assist.

Davies, on the other hand, continues to impress in Germany. The 23-year-old will be out of contract at the Allianz at the end of the season, and showing no signs of committing to a new deal, looks to be heading to Madrid to link up with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.

Lionel Messi scored twice and Drake Callender made a late penalty-kick save as Inter Miami held on for a 3-2 victory over the host Columbus Crew to clinch the Supporters’ Shield in a battle of heavyweights on Wednesday.

The Supporters’ Shield is a major trophy in Major League Soccer (MLS).

In the US, football is always carried out a little differently. The league champion is not decided simply by points at the end of the season. There are the MLS Cup Playoffs, where the top nine teams of the Eastern And Western Conferences play in an elimination tournament to reach the MLS Cup, the annual championship game or final.

The Supporters’ Shield is awarded for the team with the most points in either conference in the regular season.

Under Messi’s influence, supported by Uruguay international Luis Suarez, Miami have gone from finishing 27th in the Supporters’ Shield in 2023 to first in 2024.

Messi stunned the sell-out crowd with goals in the 45th minute and fifth minute of first-half stoppage time to give Miami what seemed like a comfortable lead.

But the Crew got a goal from Diego Rossi in the 46th minute before a defensive blunder gifted Miami’s Luis Suarez his 18th goal to make it 3-1 in the matchup of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Cucho Hernandez converted a penalty in the 61st to cut the deficit to 3-2 but just two minutes later, Crew defender Rudy Camacho was sent off after his second yellow.

With the win, Miami remain on track to set the MLS record for points in a season set by the New England Revolution in 2021 with 73, if they beat Toronto FC and New England in their last two matches.

Messi, playing against Columbus for the first time, broke the scoreless deadlock with a chip of Patrick Schulte and doubled the score with a 24-yard free-kick for his 17th goal in 17 MLS matches.

The Crew responded just after the break when Rossi deftly sliced a left-foot shot to the far corner for his 12th goal but soon after Schulte and Camacho collided and Suarez easily scored.

Hernandez scored his 17th goal after a handball on Noah Allen.