Valiant FC head coach, Owolabi Mustapha would look at the table and wonder what his team needed to do better. This writer would loosely say turn draws to wins. Why? They drew a staggering nine league matches, a league-high, one more than Broad City who finished two places above them, and two more than Real Sapphire who missed out on a podium finish. Some would mention the slow league start, with a paltry three points from their first eighteen. That was damning. If the last 16 matches were isolated, Valiant would have finished with six wins, six draws, and four losses, a considerable improvement given the torrid start.

In fact, they only won two games in their first eleven, drawing five and losing four. Plainly stated, it was table propping form, and it was no surprise when the tide turned in the second half of the campaign, their futile attempt at a top 6 meant they were undone by early slips. There were solid peaks, like the seven-goal thriller against Iganmu Tiger which they won 4-3, a 3-0 win over Broad City, a 3-2 win over Sporting Lagos, and a 3-1 win over Escola United. But there were disappointing troughs, The 4 goals conceded to Gbagada and Beyond Limits, and the points thrown away at Escola United. However, if anything, Valiant always have a way of bouncing back, and next season could just be it.  

CUP

The 2022/23 champions seemed compromised with their start, falling to Iganmu Tiger FA, Real Sapphire, and Beyond Limits in their first three games. Elimination loomed large, and the title of the worst TCC Cup title defence was definitely about to steal the headlines. However, a 3-1 win over Escola United would rescue the campaign, and it meant a win on the final day of the group stages would secure progression. 

Win they did, edging past Atlantic Business to scrape through. However, all excitement was cut short, as Sporting Lagos ended hopes of any title defence in the quarter-finals courtesy of a gutsy 1-0 win. Some title defences just never go as expected