By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Enyimba head coach Stanley Eguma has cautioned his players against underrating newly promoted Barau FC as both sides prepare to clash in their opening fixture of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season in Kano.
The former Rivers United manager acknowledged the strength of Ladan Bosso’s side, describing them as “no pushovers” despite making their top-flight debut.
“It’s our first game of the season and a baptism of fire for Barau FC in Kano,” Eguma told reporters.
“We are not underrating them. They have young, talented players who have been together long enough to earn promotion, so we expect a tough game. We are ready.”
Eguma, whose team finished sixth last season, stressed that an opening-day win could set the tone for a strong title challenge.
“Victory in that game will put us in a good position to compete for the title this season, and that’s what we are going for in Kano,” he added.
The coach also expressed confidence in his squad’s preparation, particularly the hunger of new signings eager to impress in Enyimba colours.
“The players are eagerly looking forward to the match. There are lots of positives in the team. For our new players, this is an opportunity to give a good account of themselves,” Eguma said.
The encounter will also see two of Nigeria’s most experienced tacticians, Eguma and Bosso, go head-to-head in what promises to be an intriguing start to the campaign.
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.
