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NPFL: Kwara United hold Heartland to goalless draw, climb to 12th

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NPFL: Kwara United hold Heartland to goalless draw, climb to 12th

By Dayo Awoniyi

Kwara United earned a valuable point on the road with a goalless draw against Heartland FC in a cagey Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 34 encounter at the Dan Anyiam Stadium on Sunday.

The Ilorin-based side followed up their recent 3-0 Federation Cup triumph over Solution FC with another disciplined performance, showcasing defensive solidity and tactical awareness.

Heartland dominated early proceedings and had two clear chances in the first half, but Kwara United’s defence held firm. Goalkeeper Suraju Ayeleso was particularly impressive, making several key saves in the second half to preserve the clean sheet.

Speaking after the match, Kwara United head coach Tunde Sanni commended his players for their resilience and character.

“I’m happy with this point. We lost at home last weekend, so this away draw means a lot to us,” Sanni said. “We won’t underrate Lobi Stars in our next match. We need to win convincingly next weekend.”

With the result, Kwara United move up to 12th on the NPFL table, now sitting on 44 points from 34 matches.

They will next face bottom-placed and already relegated Lobi Stars in Ilorin, with hopes of securing maximum points to further strengthen their mid-table position.

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Samuel Ahmadu
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.
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