By Dayo Awoniyi
Katsina United produced a resounding 5-1 victory over third-placed Abia Warriors in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) encounter at the Muhammed Dikko Stadium on Sunday, as the battle for survival intensified.
Lukman Bello starred for the home side with a brace, while Mubarak Said, Nura Abdulbari, and Ahmed Taofeek each added a goal to complete the rout. The emphatic win lifts Katsina United’s spirits as they fight to escape relegation.
The result builds on their commendable away draw against title contenders Remo Stars, signaling a late-season resurgence for the northern side.
Abia Warriors managed a consolation goal through Antoine Ijoma but were largely second-best throughout the encounter. The result dents their push for a continental slot as they continue their campaign under head coach Imama Amapakabo.
With four games remaining, Katsina United remain in 17th place—one spot below the safety zone—while Abia Warriors hold firm in third.
Katsina United next face Sunshine Stars away on April 27, while Abia Warriors will host Shooting Stars on the same day.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
