Usman Abdallah relief to see Kano Pillars back to winning way 

By Wale Mustapha

Kano Pillars head coach Usman Abdallah was all smiles after guiding his team back to winning ways with a 2-0 triumph over Sunshine Stars on Sunday, marking their first victory in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

The victory was inspired by Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, who was making his highly-anticipated return to the domestic league.

Musa scored both goals for the Pyramid Boys, finding the back of the net in the 2nd and 53rd minutes of the encounter at the Mohammed Dikko Stadium in Katsina.

Musa, who has been in sensational form for the national team, could have added more to his tally but was denied a hat-trick by the crossbar, after his penalty kick rattled the woodwork.

Abdallah, visibly pleased with his team’s performance, praised the players for sticking to the game plan and securing the crucial win.

“I’m satisfied with how the players performed today,” Abdallah told Kano Pillars’ media team. “It shows that we’re capable of regrouping and winning again. It’s still early in the season, but I believe we’ll continue to improve as we play more games.”

The win comes as a welcome boost for Kano Pillars, who had previously gone winless in their first two games of the season. Abdallah believes the victory will help the team build momentum as they prepare for a challenging run of fixtures.

Kano Pillars are set to face two tough away fixtures next week, with a trip to Akwa United followed by a midweek clash against Rangers in Enugu. With the squad eager to build on this success, all eyes will be on how the team performs in these crucial encounters.