Nigeria Premier League

Mangut Blames Pitch Condition for Plateau United’s Draw Against Niger Tornadoes

Plateau United’s technical adviser, Mbwas Mangut, has pointed to the poor condition of the playing surface at Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna as a factor in his team’s 1-1 draw with Niger Tornadoes.

In a post-match interview, Mangut acknowledged the impact of the pitch on his team’s performance, though he expressed satisfaction with the result.

“We are happy with the one point; we came with the mindset to see if we can get the maximum points,” he said.

“You could see the condition of the ground; it didn’t allow us to express ourselves the way we used to play.”

Mangut reassured fans, saying, “With what we are doing, every fan should be patient. I believe that at the end of the day, this team will definitely be where they belong. There are so many factors that will take us to that level, and we are working on that.”

With the draw, Plateau United moved up to 15th position on the table.

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars Chairman praises players despite loss to Remo Stars

Kano Pillars chairman Alhaji Ali Muhammad Umar has commended his team despite their 2-1 defeat to Remo Stars in Ikenne on Sunday.

Speaking to the club’s media, Umar expressed pride in the players’ performance and praised their dominance throughout the match.

“I must commend the players and the technical crew for the way they approached the game. From the first whistle to the end of regulation time, they played with passion and dominated the match,” Umar stated.

He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of football, attributing the loss to bad luck.

“Sometimes, football can be cruel, and we were just unlucky not to secure all three points. We must build on this performance. The season is still ongoing, and I believe with more effort, we will achieve our objectives,” he added.

Kano Pillars are set to face rivals Katsina United in a rescheduled matchday 20 encounter at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Wednesday.

Nigeria Premier League

Brown Ideye Set to Return for Enyimba After Injury Layoff

Former Super Eagles forward, Brown Ideye, is set to make his return for Enyimba in their upcoming league game following a brief injury layoff.

The 36-year-old striker has missed Enyimba’s last two league matches due to a minor injury. Enyimba’s media officer, David Orji, confirmed that Ideye has resumed personal training in preparation for his return to action.

“Ideye is back in training after sustaining a minor injury and should be fully fit soon,” Orji stated.

Ideye has made four league appearances for Enyimba, scoring once. Enyimba will host league leaders Remo Stars in a week 24 fixture in Aba on Sunday, as they aim to improve their standing from the eighth position in the league table, where they currently have 31 points.

Nigeria Premier League

Despite Stellar Performance, Nasarawa Utd Go Down In Maiduguri

In a cracking Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match-day 23 encounter, Nasarawa United fell agonizingly short, losing 0-1 on the road to El-Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday afternoon.

Despite delivering a stellar performance, the Solid Miners were unable to capitalize on their dominance, succumbing to a 27th minute solitary goal by Al-amin Umar.

From the outset, United asserted their authority, dictating the tempo, and crafting a plethora of scoring opportunities.

The United’s midfield trio of Abubakar Aliyu, Shina Kumater and Moyi Hassan, ensured the control of pace, supplying the attackers with an abundance of chances, as the frontline led by Idris Ajiya, Anas Yusuf, and Garba Abubakar, posed constant threat, testing the El-Kanemi goalkeeper, on multiple occasions.

However, a combination of profligacy and inspired goalkeeping denied the Solid Miners the opener.

Against the run of play, the home side seized the initiative, scoring the decisive goal in the 27th minute.

A swift counter-attack culminated in El-Kanemi’s Al-amin Umar, firing a low shot past United’s goalkeeper, Mohammed Galadima, changing the atmosphere.

Despite the early setback, the travellers continued to push for an equaliser, only to be thwarted by the hosts’ resolute defence.

Abubakar Aliyu’s set-piece effort was saved by the finger tip of the El-Kanemi goalkeeper toward the break.

Before the interval, United thought they had won a penalty when Idris Ajiya was hurled down inside the box, but the referee’s decision proved otherwise, awarding the incident as a goal-kick for the hosts.

The visitors’ valiant efforts ultimately proved futile, as El-Kanemi Warriors held on to secure a hard-fought victory.

The narrow defeat leaves United in 18th position on the league table, with 22 points, while El-Kanemi tentatively move to 4th position with 35 points with a game lesser.

The Solid Miners will host Ikorodu City in their next game at the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday, 16th February, 2025, by 4pm.

While reacting to the loss, Kabir Dogo, the team’s technical director said: “We are gutted to lose today, but we can’t fault our effort.

“I am incredibly proud of the team’s display. We dominated the game, created numerous chances, and deserved more.

“Sometimes, football can be cruel, but we will take the positives, regroup, analyze our performance, and come back stronger in our next game against Ikorodu City at our home ground.”