Nasarawa United head coach Salisu Yusuf has described his team’s 1-0 loss to Kwara United as painful, especially after an own goal handed victory to the visitors. The defeat, decided by a 64th-minute error from Emeka Onyema, ended the Solid Miners’ impressive eight-match unbeaten run in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Onyema failed to deal with an effort from Abayomi Lawal, mistakenly turning the ball into his own net to gift Kwara United the win. Speaking after the match, Yusuf insisted his team deserved more.
“We did so well in playing against their strength. We only lost a bit of focus,” he told the club’s media team. “We scored against ourselves when the ball was lost around the middle of the field. It takes a lot of intelligence and calmness to make the right decision in that moment.”
Despite the setback, Yusuf commended his players’ performance and reaffirmed his faith in the squad. “This is my first loss since taking over. I’ve been working with the players available, and they’ve shown great potential,” he added.
The coach called for focus on the positives, using the narrow loss as motivation ahead of the team’s next two home fixtures.
Editorial
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Sometimes, football is cruel not because a team was outplayed, but because a single moment of misjudgement undoes an entire afternoon’s effort. That was the reality for Nasarawa United in their 1-0 loss to Kwara United. And if coach Salisu Yusuf sounded disappointed, he had every right to be.
This was not a team that folded. Nasarawa matched Kwara United in every department. What cost them wasn’t a lack of ability or ambition it was a lapse in concentration. One that turned a routine clearance into a heartbreaking own goal.
But this is where Yusuf’s experience counts. Instead of dwelling on the mistake, he has chosen to uplift his team, remind them of their potential, and push them toward the next challenge. That’s what good leadership looks like in football.
It’s also worth noting that this was the first defeat in eight games under Yusuf’s guidance. That stat alone should quiet any critics and give the team confidence that they are moving in the right direction.
What matters now is response. Two home games await, and Nasarawa United must show that one slip does not define their journey. In a league as unpredictable as the NPFL, the ability to bounce back is often what separates contenders from the rest.
Did You Know?
- Salisu Yusuf previously coached the Super Eagles B team and served as assistant coach for the senior national team.
- Nasarawa United were NPFL runners-up in the 2006 season, narrowly missing out on the title.
- Kwara United’s nickname, “The Harmony Boys,” comes from Kwara State’s slogan, “State of Harmony.”
- The NPFL 2023/2024 season features 20 clubs competing across a 38-game league format.
- Emeka Onyema, despite his own goal, is one of Nasarawa United’s most reliable defenders this season.
