The Solid Miners had a day to forget in a hurry after suffering their worst defeat since the beginning of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League campaign.
The team, after being forced to a goalless home draw by Barau FC five days ago, embarked on the match-day nineteen tie against last-on-the-log side, Kano Pillars, at the Late Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, with high hopes of getting a decent result.
But it wasn’t to be as they fell off the pecking order, conceding 3-0 to their hosts, their worst defeat this campaign.
With an early substitution following a foot injury to goalkeeper, Olughu Chinemerem, Ameh Godwin came off the bench to save Rabiu Ali’s penalty in the twentieth minute after Mustapha Jibrin was hacked down inside the box by left back, Mubarak Hussaini.
Four minutes later, the home side went ahead through Mustapha Umar.
Moments later, Anas Yusuf, tried to undo the Pillars’ defence but his effort went off target, as the home side held on to the slim lead heading into the interval.
After effecting some tactical changes in the second half, Nasarawa United’s Ekeson Okorie, made some threatening attempts on goal, but each of his efforts was curtailed by the water-tight Kano Pillars’ defence and goalkeeping department.
Seventeen Minutes into the restart, the hosts increased their goal tally to 2-0 through Jude Okorie.
While the Solid Miners were yet to recover from the shock, Pillars compounded their woes as they netted their third and final goal of the afternoon through Mustapha Jibrin, with score at 3-0 in favour of the hosts.
With results from other centres of the country, Nasarawa United dropped to 4th position on the log with thirty-two points, five points shy of table-topping Rivers United.
As the current NPFL campaign proceeds on a mid-season break, the Solid Miners would skip the rest to kickstart preparations for the second stanza of the league, with double-home fixtures, welcoming Kano Pillars on 7th January, first, and then Niger Tornadoes on 12th January, 2026.
POST-MATCH REACTION:
MANGUT MBWAS(TA/NAS): “This is not the team we know, and we are aware of that.
“We will regroup, refocus, and come back fighting when the league resumes.
“We have had a great run, and this setback won’t deter us. We will return with a vengeance and show everyone what we are capable of.”
NASARAWA UNITED LINE-UP:. Olughu Chinemerem(Ameh Godwin 16′), Abubakar Abdullahi, Mubarak Hussaini, Victor John, Samuel Nnoli, Anas Yusuf(Garba Mohammed 67′), Salomon Chigoziem(Habibu Alakija 52′), Akanni Lawal(Benjamin Jack 67′), John Joshua, Jofrank Istifanus, Ugochukwu Leonard(Ekeson Okorie 52′).
UNUSED SUBS: Ojo Johnson, Abbey Benson, Prince Ikemdinachi, Adamu Hassan.
CREDIT: Eche Amos(Fellow, CBS), Director of Media, Nasarawa United FC