The Solid Miners were on Sunday afternoon forced to settle for a disappointing 0-0 draw against Bayelsa United in the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League match-day five cracker at the Lafia City Stadium.
Basking in the euphoria of their first win of the season in far away Lagos against Ikorodu City, Nasarawa United went into today’s tie full of confidence to continue with their winning form.
Both sides created scoring opportunities, but neither could find the breakthrough.
Free scoring Anas Yusuf’s long range effort went inches off target before the half-hour mark.
United’s goalkeeper, Mohammed Galadima, was called into series of saves as the game approached the break.
With neither side making any difference in the first forty-five minutes, it was the home side who threatened first in the reverse half. Umar Ibrahim could not believe his eyes when his goal-bound effort swivelled across the face of the goal in the 46th minute, before Anas Yusuf’s shot was saved by the away side goaltender.
The home side struggled to penetrate Bayelsa United’s resilient defence, with goalkeeper, Godgift Elkanah, making series of saves to deny the home side from scoring.
Kabir Balogun had three of his dangerous attempts on goal saved by Bayelsa United’s goalkeeper even as the duo of Yahaya Ibrahim and Jawad Mustapha called goalkeeper Mohammed Galadima into forced saves.
Nil-nil was the full-time scoreline for both sides as the search for the first home win of the current campaign by Nasarawa United continues.
Today’s result leaves the Solid Miners on 11th position with five points from five games.
The team will be travelling to Ikenne, Ogun State, to face their next opponents, Remo Stars, on Sunday, 13th October, 2024, seeking to return to winning ways.
POST-MATCH REACTIONS:
COACH KABIR DOGO(DIR. TECH. NASARAWA UNITED): “I am not a happy man today that we couldn’t break down our opponents. We created chances, but our finishing was off.
“However, I am proud of my boys, they were just unlucky today. If you look at our performance away from home, we get decent results, but back home, it’s a different scenario.
“Though that’s football. The league is improving, and what counts most now is for a team to play good football and score more goals than the opponents.
“With time, we will break the jinx and begin to win our home games.
“We will work on our attacking play and look to bounce back in subsequent games.
“We hope officiating continues the way we are already witnessing, we should be able to get something positive at Remo next weekend.
“It may interest you to note that the league is still very young, and no team can assuage that they are favourites to win the league title.
“I wish to plead with our supporters and fans to be patient with us and pray for us because we are a young side working to form a formidable team that they will be proud of.”
COACH LADAN BOSSO(T/A BAY): “It’s unfortunate for Nasarawa United not to have picked the three points today. It was equally unfortunate for us not to have picked the three points here. But God has His own way of doing things.
“Both teams are work in progress. Both Coach Dogo(Kabir) and I need little time to go places.”
CAUTION(YELLOW CARD):
Jawad Mustapha(BAY)19′
Yahaya Ibrahim(BAY)90+3′
NASARAWA UNITED LINE-UP: Mohammed Galadima, Kabir Balogun, Mubarak Hussaini, Emeka Onyema, Victor Collins, Chidera Nduka, Anas Yusuf(Mohammed Garba 66′), Sabo Gambo(Adamu Hassan 81′), John Joshua(Mohammed Shammasu 81′), Habibu Alakija(Chinedu Ohanachom 15′), Umar Ibrahim(Abdulsalam Kolawole 66′).
UNUSED SUBS: Ameh Godwin, Saviour Chukwu, Habeeb Yakub, King Osanga.
CREDIT: Eche Amos(Fellow, CBS), Media Director, Nasarawa United FC.