By Wale Mustapha
Nasarawa United head coach Mbwas Magnut has praised his players for their spirited display despite suffering a narrow 1–0 defeat to Rivers United in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Sunday.
The Solid Miners fell to their hosts at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, marking their second consecutive defeat of the season — a result that saw them slip to second place on the league table.
Speaking after the match, Magnut refused to fault his youthful side, instead commending their attitude and determination against one of the league’s strongest teams.
“I commend my boys for their efforts, and I congratulate Rivers United for taking their chance from our defensive mistake,” Magnut told the club’s media.
He added that the team remains driven by internal motivation and strong backing from the Nasarawa State Government.
“We are a young team that is self-motivated and highly supported by the State Government. We want to make a name for ourselves and the people of the State,” he said.
Despite the setback, Nasarawa United will look to bounce back quickly as they continue their push for the NPFL title.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
