Tag: Nasarawa United

Nasarawa United missed a golden opportunity to draw level with leaders Rivers United after being held to a 1–1 draw by relegation-threatened Enyimba in Lafia while Abia Warriors’ poor home form continued with a listless draw against Wikki Tourists as some games of the Matchday 23 were played yesterday.

JoFrank Istifanus fired the Solid Miners ahead in the 69^th  minute, but Kalu Nweke calmly converted a 73rd-minute penalty to rescue a point for the People’s Elephant, who survived nine minutes of stoppage time.

The result keeps Nasarawa second on 39 points, two adrift of Rivers United, who remain top with 41 points and were not in midweek action due to their CAF Champions League engagement. Enyimba moved up to 28 points amid off-field uncertainty following reports of Sporting Director Ifeanyi Ekwueme’s resignation.

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In Jos, Plateau United extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a crucial 2–1 victory over Rangers International. Temitope Vincent starred for the Peace Boys, scoring in the 15th minute before converting a penalty on 40 minutes, while Chidiebere Nwobodo pulled one back for Rangers in the 28th minute. The win lifted Plateau United temporarily out of the relegation zone into 15th place with 27 points.

Abia Warriors’ struggles at home continued as they were forced to settle for a 1–1 draw against Wikki Tourists in Umuahia. Emeka Obioma opened the scoring for the Umuchineke Boys in the 51st minute, but Taheer Abubakar equalised five minutes later.

Despite failing to win at home since December 21, Abia Warriors remain third on the table with 38 points.

In Kano, ex-Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa proved decisive, scoring the 72^nd -minute winner as Kano Pillars edged Katsina United 1–0 to climb to 25 points.
In the remaining fixtures to be decided today, Bayelsa United will return to Ozoro hoping to string together back-to-back home wins when they face Niger Tornadoes. The Prosperity Boys are edging toward mid-table security, but Tornadoes arrive confident after bouncing back from defeat to Nasarawa United with a win over Enyimba. It’s a clash that could swing either way.

Also today, Kun Khalifat will host Kwara United in Owerri. Fresh from a gritty draw away to Remo Stars, the Pride of Imo need maximum points to keep survival hopes alive. However, Kwara United boast an impressive recent record in Owerri, remaining unbeaten there over the past two seasons.

Lagos plays host to a South West derby as Ikorodu City take on Shooting Stars. Their first-round meeting ended in a draw, but with both sides level on 35 points in fifth and sixth respectively, bragging rights and league position are at stake. Ikorodu City, the Oga Boys, are under greater pressure to win with the loss in Maiduguri , while the Oluyole Warriors look slightly more settled.

In another Ozoro showdown, Warri Wolves battle reigning champions Remo Stars. Wolves are eager to bounce back from a heavy loss to Rangers, while Remo—surprisingly hovering close to the relegation zone—cannot afford another defeat as pressure mounts.

In Benin City, Bendel Insurance aim to respond after their nine-game unbeaten run was halted by Shooting Stars. The Edo Arsenal remain formidable, boasting seven wins in their last ten outings, but Barau FC have shown a knack for springing surprises.

 Results : Matchday 23

Nasarawa United 1–1 Enyimba

Plateau United 2–1 Rangers International

Abia Warriors 1–1 Wikki Tourists

Kano Pillars 1–0 Katsina United

Nasarawa United have resumed preparations for the second stanza of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League following the end of the mid-season break last weekend.

The Lafia-based side, fondly called the Solid Miners, are aiming to build on a strong first-round showing as they refocus on their title ambition heading into the decisive phase of the campaign.

Club management, led by Chairman Solomon Babanjah, has given approval to the technical crew under head coach Mangut Mbwas to strengthen the squad ahead of the restart.

Plans are already in motion to reinforce key areas of the team, with expected additions across defence, midfield and attack as the club seeks to boost its competitiveness and sustain a push for continental qualification.

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Team Head Coach, Mangut Mbwas disclosed that the short festive break was effectively used to regroup and refocus the players, noting that training sessions have resumed with high intensity.

He assured supporters that tactical adjustments and renewed commitment would define the team’s approach in the second stanza, as the Solid Miners chase consistency and maximum results.

Currently fourth on the NPFL table with 32 points from 19 matches, Nasarawa United will restart their campaign with two consecutive home fixtures against Kano Pillars on January 14 and Niger Tornadoes on January 18 at the Lafia City Stadium.

Positive results in those matches could significantly boost their title charge before challenging away and home fixtures against Abia Warriors and Enyimba later in the month.

Nasarawa United returned to the summit of the Nigeria Premier Football League table on yesterday after securing a crucial 1-0 victory over Shooting Stars in Lafia, just eight days after losing the position to Ikorodu City.

Following a cagey first half — highlighted by a glaring miss from Shooting Stars forward Qamar Adegoke — the breakthrough finally came in the 65th minute when Moyi Hassan struck decisively for the Solid Miners. His effort proved enough to seal all three points and propel the hosts back to the top of the standings.

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Ikorodu City, who led the log after Matchday 15 and maintained their position on Sunday with a goalless draw against Wikki Tourists in Bauchi, now drop to second. They sit on 28 points from 16 matches, two behind Nasarawa United, who have climbed to 30 points from the same number of games.

Shooting Stars’ defeat sees them slip to seventh place with 23 points as their push for a stronger league position stalled in Lafia.

Elsewhere, Katsina United failed to record back-to-back wins at their temporary home ground in Ilorin, falling 1-0 to Bendel Insurance courtesy of a 72nd-minute strike from Elmer Arunta.

Nasarawa United have opened up a three-point cushion at the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League after ruthlessly dispatching El-Kanemi Warriors 3-0 at the Lafia City Stadium in a dominant Matchday 14 performance.

The Solid Miners, who were briefly knocked off the summit following their 1-1 draw in Owerri last weekend, reclaimed control in emphatic fashion against Kabiru Dogo’s side — a team once under his guidance.

Last season’s top scorer, Anas Yusuf, rediscovered his fiery form, netting twice in the 38^th  and 46^th  minutes to take his tally to six goals this season. Garba Mohammed struck again for the hosts two minutes later to seal the win. Nasarawa United now sit on 27 points, with Ikorodu City — on 24 points — looking to reclaim top spot when they face Kano Pillars in Katsina today.

Elsewhere, Abia Warriors missed a key opportunity to break into the top two after being held to a goalless draw by a disciplined Bendel Insurance side in Umuahia. Insurance, steered by former Warriors boss Kennedy Boboye, extended his streak of avoiding defeat against his ex-teams. Abia Warriors remain fourth with 23 points, while Insurance move up slightly to 18th with 13 points.

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In Warri, Warri Wolves’ home struggles persisted, settling for a 1-1 draw against Kun Khalifat — a rematch of their NNL Super 8 encounter last June. Adebambo Ademola put Wolves ahead early, but Kun Khalifat equalised in the 38th minute straight from a corner. Wolves sit eighth with 19 points, while Kun Khalifat stay 17^th  on 14 points.

In Ilorin, Kwara United and Shooting Stars ended goalless, while a 70th-minute strike from Kenechukwu Agu handed Rangers International a narrow 1-0 win over Niger Tornadoes.

Wikki Tourists needed a late rescue in Bauchi as Nasiru Jibrin’s 87^th -minute goal salvaged a 1-1 draw against Bayelsa United, who had taken an eighth-minute lead through Ifeanyi Ogba.

At the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Remo Stars cruised to a 2-0 victory over Barau FC courtesy of goals from Ahmed Akinyele and Victor Mbaoma in the opening half. The win lifts Remo Stars to 10th on 19 points, while Barau FC sink deeper into relegation trouble.

Today’s fixtures will see Katsina United host Enyimba in Ilorin, marking their first game at their adopted home after their banishment from Katsina due to crowd trouble. Kano Pillars will also be in action in Katsina, facing Ikorodu City — a side they defeated 3-0 there last season.

NPFL Results:

Nasarawa United 3-0 El-Kanemi

Warri Wolves 1-1 Kun Khalifat

Kwara United 0-0 Shooting Stars

Rangers 1-0  Tornadoes

Wikki Tourists 1-1 Bayelsa United

Abia Warriors 0-0 Insurance

Remo Stars 2-0 Barau FC

Nasarawa United have jumped  to the summit of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after a convincing 2-0 victory over Katsina United in one of the Matchday Six fixtures played across six venues yesterday.

The Solid Miners, buoyed by their 2-1 away triumph over Bayelsa United recently, displaced Enyimba from the top of the log with goals from last season’s top scorer Anas Yusuf and Abubakar Abdullahi. It marks Nasarawa’s first time at the league’s summit in recent seasons, a remarkable turnaround from last year’s relegation battle.

In Lagos, Enyimba were forced to a 1-1 draw by Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena. An own goal by Joel Ezra put the visitors ahead after 12 minutes but Joseph Arumala levelled five minutes later. The result keeps Enyimba unbeaten in six matches, though they slipped to second place with 12 points. Ikorodu City dropped to ninth with seven points.

Newcomers Barau FC recorded their first-ever NPFL win with a 3-1 comeback triumph away to Kun Khalifat FC in Aba. Yahaya Ibrahim struck twice in the 15^th  and 81^st  minutes after Hilary Ekawu’s 65^th -minute effort which cancelled out Ebuka Nwokorie’s early opener for the hosts. The Maliya Boys celebrated their maiden topflight victory since promotion this season.

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In Bauchi, Wikki Tourists and Rangers International battled to a pulsating 2-2 draw. Klinshak Longbak 12^th  minute and Jonathan Mairiga 55^th  minute gave Wikki the lead twice, but former home favourite Godwin Obaje netted a brace in the 30^th  and 78^th  minutes to rescue a point for the Flying Antelopes. Wikki are seventh with eight points, while Rangers remain in 17^th  with five points.

Shooting Stars earned their first away win of the campaign with a 2-1 comeback against Warri Wolves in Ozoro. Igbunu Evwierhurhoma handed the Seasiders the lead in the 52nd minute, but Qamar Adegoke in the 84^th  minute and Adams Mustapha two minutes later struck late to hand the Oluyole Warriors their second victory of the season. Shooting Stars now sit sixth on eight points, while Warri Wolves slipped to 11th with seven points.

NPFL: Matchday 6  Results

Warri Wolves 1-2 Shooting Stars

Wikki Tourists 2-2 Rangers

Kun Khalifat 1-3 Barau FC

Ikorodu City 2-2 Enyimba

Nasarawa United 2-0 Katsina United

Insurance 1-1 Bayelsa United

Plateau United 1-0 El-Kanemi Warriors

Coach Mbwas Mangut, has praised Nasarawa United’s resilience after their hard-fought 1-0 victory over Wikki Tourists in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday Four clash at the Lafia City Stadium last weekend.

“It’s a thing of joy to get the maximum points against a difficult team that’s very mobile and have high confidence on the ball,” Mangut said after the game.

“We tried as much as possible to stop them from circulating the ball. We counter-pressed some of the balls, and one of those chances gave us the goal. From there on, we refused them the opportunity to build from the rear to the attack. It’s an open game for both sides, but I must give credit to my boys who stood firmly to achieve victory.”

Mangut also explained his decision to bench forward Anas Yusuf, stressing it was a deliberate move to ease him back into full fitness after national team duty and award ceremonies.

“By and large, the league is still in its infant stage. We are approaching every game as it comes, with different approaches, beginning with our next game against Bayelsa United. We will keep working hard and smart in each passing game to achieve our goals,” he added.

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The hero of the evening, youngster Garba Mohammed, netted the decisive strike in the 37th minute to hand the Solid Miners back-to-back home wins. He expressed delight with his performance and ambitions for the season.

“It’s a fantastic game today for us. I am very happy to score the only goal in the game today, and I want to score more this season, because that’s my target this season – to be among the highest goal scorers and top assist provider. Our ambition is to get a continental ticket this season,” Mohammed said.

With the result, Nasarawa United climbed to fifth on the NPFL table with seven points from four games, level with their Bauchi opponents.

The Solid Miners now turn their attention to a tricky away trip to Bayelsa United this weekend.

Nasarawa United will be desperate to bounce back to winning ways when they welcome Abia Warriors to the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday in their first home fixture of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League campaign.

The Solid Miners suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Niger Tornadoes in their season opener on Wednesday at the Kwara State Sports Stadium, Ilorin. Former United forward, Terdoo Shimagande, came back to haunt his old side with a 24th-minute strike that proved decisive in the North Central derby.

Despite dominating large spells of the game and creating chances through Ugochukwu Leonard, Abubakar Abdullahi, Umar Adah, and Salomon Chigoziem, Nasarawa United failed to find the breakthrough.

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Technical Adviser Mangut Mbwas admitted that lapses in concentration at the back cost his team, but he remains confident that lessons learned will be applied in time for the Abia Warriors clash.

 “We actually started the game very well, but we conceded so carelessly,” Mbwas reflected. “Afterwards, we tried to change the rhythm by introducing fresh legs, and we created chances but could not convert. That is football—anything can happen. The important thing now is to correct our mistakes, because the league is a marathon, and we must be ready to defend our home ground.”

With the Lafia faithful set to return in full voice, United will be banking on their home advantage to kick-start their season and claim maximum points against Abia Warriors, who are equally eager to build early momentum.