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Kwara United boss Ashifat sees promise after Kano Pillars fightback
Kwara United head coach Suleiman Ashifat believes his side’s battling recovery from two goals down against Kano Pillars offers encouragement for the season, despite admitting that the 2-2 draw was disappointing.
Kwara United rescued a point in their 2026/2027 Euromatch–NPFL opener on Sunday after Kano Pillars took control of the match at the Rashidi Yekini Mainbowl, Ilorin.
Ashifat said the result highlighted the character within a largely new-look squad, with the club having recruited 16 new players and retained 14 ahead of their title chase.
“Kwara United, as a team, this season, is dominated by new signings, with no more than four old players,” Ashifat, a former Jasper United centre-back, said.
The Kwara United manager acknowledged that his team remains a work in progress, but said the response to falling two goals behind was evidence of the potential in the group.
“And for the team to fight their way from two goals down to end the game on a 2-2 draw shows that the future is bright. For now, they are still a work in progress.
“If they can hold their ground against an experienced and compact team, full of experienced players, it shows that indeed, this team has a very, very bright future.”
Kwara United’s squad has undergone significant changes during the close season, leaving Ashifat with the task of building understanding among a group containing only a small number of players from the previous campaign.
Although the opening-day draw did not deliver the result he wanted, he believes the performance against Kano Pillars demonstrated that the newly assembled side can compete in difficult matches.
The Ilorin club will now travel to face Plateau United in their Euromatch–NPFL 2026/2027 Week 2 fixture this weekend. Ashifat is expecting his team to improve as the players continue to adapt to one another.
“Kwara United is still a work in progress. Gradually, the team is evolving. We’ve got too many new players and we’re undergoing the blending process.
“They have shown they are capable of handling bigger games and so, I believe they will do better when we travel to Plateau United this weekend,” Ashifat said.
The match at Plateau United will provide Kwara United with an early opportunity to turn their encouraging comeback into a first victory of the new campaign. For Ashifat, the priority is to maintain the fighting spirit shown against Kano Pillars while improving the team’s cohesion and overall performance.