By Dayo Awoniyi
Ten-man Kwara United produced a spirited defensive display on Sunday to earn a valuable point in a goalless draw against Rangers International in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 10 fixture at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The Harmony Boys absorbed sustained pressure from the Flying Antelopes in the opening stages but gradually settled into the contest.
Despite Rangers’ territorial dominance, the visitors’ backline remained composed, with goalkeeper Nurudeen Badmus pulling off several crucial saves to keep the hosts at bay.
The tempo rose after the restart as both teams pressed for a breakthrough. Kwara United’s task became more difficult when Victor Adeoye was sent off for a second bookable offence, but they held firm to frustrate the home side and secure a hard-earned draw.
Head coach Ashifat Suleiman commended his players for their resilience and discipline, acknowledging that while the team had hoped for maximum points, the result was satisfactory given the circumstances.
He added that the technical crew would focus on improving the team’s attacking efficiency ahead of their next outing against Remo Stars in Ilorin.
Kwara United now sit 10th on the NPFL log with 13 points from 10 matches.
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.
