Nasarawa United head coach Mbwas Mangut has admitted his disappointment after his side began the 2026/2027 EuroMatch NPFL season with a 3-1 defeat to Barau FC.
The Solid Miners suffered the setback at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on Sunday evening, despite showing enough attacking intent to trouble the home side.
Barau FC took an early lead in the 15th minute when Joseph Atule found the back of the net.
Nasarawa United responded quickly, with Abubakar Abdullahi restoring parity just five minutes later. The forward finished off a move created by Mohammed Umar to make it 1-1.
The visitors remained competitive and created several opportunities as both teams searched for the decisive goal.
However, Barau FC finished the match strongly. Al’Amin Umar put the hosts back in front before Suga Aliyu added a third goal to seal all three points for the Kano-based side.
Mangut rues missed chances
Speaking after the game, Mangut acknowledged the disappointing result but felt the scoreline did not fully reflect his team’s performance.
The Nasarawa United boss was particularly frustrated by his players’ inability to convert the numerous chances they created during the encounter.
“My wards played better, but were unlucky to score from the avalanche of opportunities we had,” Mangut told the club’s media.
While the defeat was certainly not the start he wanted, Mangut insisted that the team must quickly learn from the mistakes that cost them the match.
He said the technical crew would analyse the performance, identify the areas that need improvement and work towards ensuring a stronger response in the next fixture.
“It’s definitely not the way to start the new season, but we will analyse our mistakes, regroup, and bounce back stronger, beginning from our next match,” he added.
Nasarawa United face Bendel Insurance next
The Solid Miners will have little time to dwell on the defeat, with another league test already awaiting them.
Nasarawa United will host Bendel Insurance at the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday as they look to secure their first points of the new NPFL campaign.
Mangut will be hoping his players can turn their attacking chances into goals and produce a more clinical performance when they return to action.
