By Wale Mustapha
Katsina United have received a major boost ahead of their decisive Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash against Kwara United, with the return of U-20 stars Yushau Armayau and Chigozie Ihejiofor.
The Chanji Boys face a must-win scenario on Sunday at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, as they fight to retain their top-flight status in the final game of the 2023/24 NPFL season.
Both Armayau and Ihejiofor were part of Nigeria’s U-20 squad that finished third at the 2023 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. Their reintegration into the squad is seen as a timely boost for the relegation-threatened side.
“We welcome back Yusha’u Armaya’u (Aguero) and Chigozie Ihejiofor from the U-20 AFCON in Egypt,” the club wrote on its official Facebook page.
“Both helped the Flying Eagles clinch bronze. They’re back with the squad ahead of our final clash vs. Kwara United at Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.”
Katsina United currently sit 15th on the NPFL table with 47 points from 37 matches, just above the drop zone.
A win against Kwara United is crucial to avoid relegation in what promises to be a tense final day of the season.
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.
