By Abdulhakeem Abdulganiyu
Kano Pillars dropped two crucial points at home after being held to a 1-1 draw by Kwara Utd in a tightly contested Matchday 8 fixture of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
Our Correspondent reports that the encounter took place on Sunday, 20th October 2024, at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina, North West Nigeria.
The Sai Masu Gida, fresh off a thrilling 4-3 victory against Rangers in their previous game, struggled to find their rhythm as Kwara Utd controlled much of the first half with their fast-paced and aggressive play.
With Technical Adviser Usman Abdallah absent due to suspension after his dismissal during the midweek clash against Rangers, Chief Coach Ahmed Garba ‘Yaro Yaro’ took charge of the team in the fixture.
During the first half, Kwara Utd’s early dominance nearly resulted in a breakthrough, as they came close to scoring twice within the first 30 minutes.
The Harmony Boys rattled the post with a thunderous long-range strike in the 34th minute smashing against the crossbar.
The Sai Masu Gida had their first significant chance in the 27th minute when captain Ahmed Musa delivered a precise pass to Zulkifilu Muhammed inside the box, but Zulkifilu’s effort sailed wide, much to the frustration of the home fans.
As the half drew to a close, Sai Masu Gida had a promising opportunity through Rabiu Ali’s well-placed free-kick, but Kwara Utd’s goalkeeper made an excellent save to keep the score level at halftime.
The second half kicked off with Kano Pillars making two substitutions as Shehu Abdullahi and Sudais Ali Baba were replaced by Yusuf Bala Maigoro and Mustapha Umar in a bid to inject fresh energy into the squad.
Despite the tactical changes, Kwara Utd struck first in the 50th minute when Samaila Gata capitalized on a defensive mix-up between Pillars’ center-backs, Rasheed Alasan and Habibu Yakubu, to slot the ball past the goalkeeper.
However, Sai Masu Gida fought back and found an equalizer in the 57th minute.
Ahmed Musa, once again, played a pivotal role, delivering a pin-point cross that Zulkifilu Mohammed expertly headed into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
Rabiu Ali had two chances to secure a winner for the home side but was unable to convert. His first effort narrowly missed the target, while his second shot was saved and pushed out for a corner by the Kwara Utd goalkeeper.
Despite late pressure from the host, the game ended 1-1, with both teams sharing the points.
The Pyramid City side will now turn their attention to their Matchday 9 fixture, where they will travel to the North Central to face Nasarawa Utd at the Lafia City Stadium.
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