Rivers United played out a 1-1 draw with Nasarawa United, while Sporting Lagos suffered a 2-0 defeat to Abia Warriors in two of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 4 fixtures.

Kano Pillars also recorded a notable 4-1 victory over Doma United in Kano, with Ahmed Musa scoring and earning the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Man of the Match award.

Key Facts

• Rivers United drew 1-1 with Nasarawa United at the Lafia City Stadium.
• Finidi George praised Rivers United’s performance but said his players defended too deeply late in the match.
• Sporting Lagos lost 2-0 to Abia Warriors at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.
• Jeffrey Buter said two losses of possession contributed to Sporting Lagos conceding both goals on the counter.
• Kano Pillars defeated Doma United 4-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
• Ahmed Musa scored his first goal of the season and was named SWAN Man of the Match.
• Doma United’s three-match winning start to the campaign ended with the defeat.

Rivers United Hold Nasarawa United

Rivers United took a point from their Matchday 4 encounter with Nasarawa United after the sides finished 1-1 at the Lafia City Stadium.

The visitors moved ahead in the 66th minute when Nasarawa United defender Harrison Ebah inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.

Nasarawa United responded six minutes before full time when Musa Yakubu converted a penalty to level the score and secure a point for the hosts.

Finidi George Reacts

Rivers United technical adviser Finidi George said he was satisfied with his players’ overall display but believed they became too defensive towards the closing stages.

Finidi explained that he had urged his players from the bench to move further out of their penalty area to prevent situations that could lead to conceding a spot kick.

“I think my boys did well, but towards the end of the game, they defended a little too deep, which resulted in the incident that led to the penalty.”

The Rivers United coach also questioned the decision to award the penalty but said his team had to accept the referee’s decision and focus on its next fixture.

“I think the penalty was questionable, but the referee said he saw it. We have to accept that, move on and think about the next match.”

Rivers United’s Position

The draw left Rivers United fourth on the NPFL table with seven points from three matches, with a game in hand.

Finidi’s side will next face Kun Khalifat FC.

Sporting Lagos Lose To Abia Warriors

Sporting Lagos were beaten 2-0 by Abia Warriors at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.

Head coach Jeffrey Buter expressed disappointment with the result but maintained that his team had controlled significant portions of the match.

According to Buter, Sporting Lagos pushed players forward in search of goals but were punished after losing possession on two occasions.

Buter Explains Defeat

Buter said the two goals came after Sporting Lagos were caught on the counter following mistakes in possession.

“We were trying to find goals and had to push forward players up the pitch, which led to two mistakes and two goals conceded on the counter.”

He specifically pointed to separate possession losses by Aliu and Stanley as the moments that allowed Abia Warriors to launch their attacks.

Buter maintained that Sporting Lagos had been the more threatening side for significant periods of the encounter.

“Otherwise, we had control of the game. We were more threatening and looked like we were going to score.”

Buter Defends His Tactical Decisions

The Sporting Lagos coach also addressed his substitutions after the defeat.

While acknowledging that he might have made different decisions with the benefit of hindsight, Buter said the changes made during the game reflected what the coaching staff believed was appropriate at the time.

“In hindsight, maybe you think substitutions could have been different, but with the way the game was going, that was the right thing we felt in that moment.”

Kano Pillars Thrash Doma United 4-1

Kano Pillars produced a convincing 4-1 victory over Doma United at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

Abdullahi Musa, Rabiu Ali, Nasiru Salihu and Ahmed Musa scored for the hosts, while Sadiq Rilwan registered Doma United’s only goal.

Ahmed Musa’s goal came in the 77th minute and was his first of the season.

Ahmed Musa Named Man Of The Match

Musa was named the SWAN Man of the Match after helping Kano Pillars secure the four-goal victory.

His goal was Pillars’ third of the encounter as the home side continued its strong performance against Doma United.

Doma United’s Perfect Start Ends

The defeat brought Doma United’s perfect start to the campaign to an end.

They had won their first three matches without conceding a goal before facing Kano Pillars.

Despite the loss, Doma United remained top of the table with nine points from four matches according to the supplied report, while Kano Pillars moved into third place with seven points from three games.

Ogunmodede Explains Pillars’ Approach

Kano Pillars technical adviser Daniel Ogunmodede said his team had prepared carefully for the encounter because of Doma United’s strong start.

He noted that Doma United had entered the match with three victories and nine points without conceding.

“We expected a tough game because they had gone three matches unbeaten with nine points and had never conceded, but we prepared very well for them.”

Ogunmodede also explained the changes made after Doma United scored in the second half.

He said Pillars introduced fresh players in midfield and attack to increase pressure and prevent Doma United’s centre-backs from advancing with the ball.

“The goal we conceded after the second half created a lot of pressure for us, which was why we brought in fresh faces in midfield and attack to stop their centre-backs from taking the ball forward.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the result between Rivers United and Nasarawa United?

The match ended in a 1-1 draw at the Lafia City Stadium.

Who scored for Rivers United?

Rivers United took the lead through an own goal by Nasarawa United defender Harrison Ebah.

Who scored Nasarawa United’s equaliser?

Musa Yakubu converted a penalty six minutes before full time to make it 1-1.

What happened to Sporting Lagos?

Sporting Lagos lost 2-0 to Abia Warriors at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.

Why did Sporting Lagos concede both goals?

Coach Jeffrey Buter said his team lost possession twice while pushing forward, allowing Abia Warriors to score on the counter.

Who scored for Kano Pillars against Doma United?

Abdullahi Musa, Rabiu Ali, Nasiru Salihu and Ahmed Musa scored for Kano Pillars.

Who scored Doma United’s goal?

Sadiq Rilwan scored Doma United’s only goal.

What happened to Doma United’s winning run?

The 4-1 defeat ended Doma United’s three-match winning start without conceding a goal.

Who was named Man of the Match?

Ahmed Musa was named the SWAN Man of the Match after Kano Pillars’ victory.

Key Takeaways

• Rivers United and Nasarawa United shared the points after a 1-1 draw.
• Finidi George praised Rivers United’s performance but criticised their deep defending late in the game.
• Sporting Lagos lost 2-0 to Abia Warriors after conceding twice on the counter.
• Jeffrey Buter attributed the goals to possession losses while his team pushed forward.
• Kano Pillars defeated Doma United 4-1 in Kano.
• Ahmed Musa scored his first goal of the season and received the SWAN Man of the Match award.
• Doma United’s three-match winning start ended with the defeat.

NPFL Matchday 4 Results In Focus

The three results produced different outcomes for the teams involved, with Rivers United taking a point from Lafia, Sporting Lagos suffering defeat at home and Kano Pillars securing a four-goal victory over Doma United.

The coaches’ post-match reactions also highlighted different aspects of the fixtures, from Rivers United’s late defending and Sporting Lagos’ possession errors to Kano Pillars’ preparation for a Doma United side that had started the campaign without conceding.