Nasarawa United head coach Mangut Mbwas has admitted that the club’s poor start to the 2026/27 EuroMatch Nigeria Premier Football League season is a concern after the Solid Miners suffered another defeat on Matchday 5.

READ ALSO: “We Will Solve the Goal-Scoring Problem” — Dogo Vows to Fix Niger Tornadoes’ Scoring Woes | Sports247 Nigeria

Sports247 reports that Nasarawa United were beaten 2-1 by Kwara United at the Late Rashidi Yekini Main-Bowl George Innih Stadium in Ilorin, leaving the Lafia-based side with just four points from their opening five matches.

Reflecting on the campaign so far, Mbwas acknowledged the disappointing return while insisting that the team must now focus on stabilising its performances.

“If you look at the log, it’s really something to get worried about. Five games, amounting to fifteen points, and we have four points from those.”

Despite the defeat, the coach identified some positives from the contest and praised the competitive nature of the encounter.

“However, we have some positives and some negatives to drive from the game. Both sides yearned for the result. We had a great game in the first half, conceded an early goal, but we recovered almost immediately.”

Kwara United took the lead early in the contest before Nasarawa United responded to level the game, but the hosts eventually restored their advantage to secure maximum points.

For Mbwas, the immediate priority is to address the inconsistencies and help the team regain stability.

“We will move on from this phase and stabilize the team, going forward.”

The coach also acknowledged the cost of dropping points despite the efforts put into each match.

“Losing points in every effort put isn’t the best. But we will work towards it.”

The result leaves Nasarawa United with one win, one draw and three defeats from five matches, a difficult opening by the club’s recent standards.

The Solid Miners currently occupy 16th position with four points, while Kwara United climbed to eighth with seven points following their victory.

With the season still in its early stages, Mbwas and his technical crew will now have the opportunity to use the international and domestic schedule to address the team’s weaknesses and improve their results.

Nasarawa United will return to action on Sunday, September 27, when they host North-Central rivals Niger Tornadoes at the Lafia City Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm.

For the Solid Miners, the message is straightforward: another difficult result could increase the pressure, making a positive response against Tornadoes particularly important.

The post “It’s Something to Get Worried About” — Mangut Mbwas Admits Nasarawa United’s Slow Start appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

​Inter Lagos fought back in the closing minutes to secure a 1–1 draw against Kano Pillars in an entertaining Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, on Wednesday.

READ ALSO: EuroMatch NPFL Matchday 5: Sporting Lagos Shock Enyimba as Rangers, Barau FC Pick Up Vital Wins

​The visitors appeared set to claim all three points after taking a first-half lead and stubbornly defending their advantage for most of the contest.

​However, Inter Lagos maintained intense pressure through the second half, mounting attack after attack in search of a route back into the game.

Their relentless persistence paid off late in the match when Bashir Abdulkarim capitalized on a defensive opening to slot home the equalizer.

​The drama triggered wild celebrations among the home fans as Inter Lagos snatched a hard-earned point from the jaws of defeat.

​While Inter Lagos can draw confidence from their resilience, Kano Pillars will be frustrated by their failure to manage the game and secure the victory.

The result leaves both teams with a point each, further reflecting the tight, unpredictable nature of this season’s NPFL campaign.

The post EuroMatch NPFL: Inter Lagos Rescue Point With Late Equaliser Against Kano Pillars appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Fast-growing female referee, Yemisi Eunice Akintoye, has shot her thoughts back in time to recall how she transformed into an arbiter after initially trying out as an active footballer, Sports247 reports.

Akintoye, who recently hit international limelight as the centre referee for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) semi-final clash between Algeria and Malawi, revealed that it all began for her as a student at the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

The amiable ref made this revelation while speaking during the ‘Hot Seat’ segment of Sports247’s television programme, ‘Inside Naija Sports,’ which streams online via YouTube and airs every Saturday at 12 pm on NTA News 24.

READ ALSO: Yemisi Akintoye Opens Up on Her WAFCON Breakthrough | Sports247 Nigeria

She started by thanking everyone who gave her a resounding reception at the airport on the day she returned from Morocco, where she was a centre referee in two WAFCON 2026 matches as well as fourth official in three.

Akintoye gleefully retorted, “I would like to use this opportunity to give kudos to my very close friend and FIFA ref, Hope Igho. He was the one who organised a very big welcome back home reception for me.

“I was not expecting anything like that, and it was a very pleasant surprise for me. Although he earlier called me and said he would be at the airport to pick me up, he never told me he would be there with a crowd.

“So, I really appreciate him for that, and I told him so immediately I saw them. In fact, it was a very warm welcome, which I don’t think has ever happened like that in Nigeria. So, I appreciate his effort very well.”

The graduate of Human Kinetics from the University of Lagos and founder of Female Young Girls Bootcamp (FYGB) project then went back in time with details of her advent into refereeing, because it was a course she had to pass at the NIS.

“It all began when I was a student at NIS, before I went to the University of Lagos. I was actually initially a footballer, and I even played in the Nigerian Women’s Football League, NWFL.

“I started with Taiwo FC, then went to Jagunmolu Babes and later Little Queens in Ibadan. I then went to NIS because my dad is someone who likes education, and he encouraged me to study.

“He insisted that I should return to school, and I felt I could train to be a coach, because I wanted to remain in the game. As it would happen, during my NIS days, there was a course called officiating.

“I knew about playing football, but I did not know anything about officiating. It was a four or six-unit course, and I just had to pass it before I could graduate.

“I was shocked when I went online to check the laws of the game and saw over 200 rules of football. This surprised me, and I felt it was too much for me. I felt that I needed a referee who would explain the laws to me.

“I eventually went to the office of the Lagos State Referees Council, where I met the secretary, Mr Sonibare. I told him I needed someone to help me with the laws of the game because I wanted to make Grade A in the course.

“He was the one who suggested that I should become a referee so that I could understand more about officiating. I was initially reluctant, but I later joined them, mostly because I wanted to pass the exam,” Akintoye admitted.

The FIFA-badge referee, who is also the CEO of Mitsy Photography Studio, concluded by revealing the difficulties she went through in the early days of her switch from playing football and seeking a career in coaching, especially as she had to combine three busy ventures at the same time.

“I eventually got the A Grade that I wanted in the course, but I also realised that I really enjoyed the period that I spent with them. I found it very interesting and I decided to continue with them.

“After graduating from NIS, I went into active refereeing, but I soon found out that it’s a long process for you to advance in it. It was really tough for me while I was still a student at UNILAG.

“I was also working at that time. I did not want to drop my job at Grange in Ikoyi, but it was not easy at all. I had three big things that I was working hard to combine and shuffle, but I kept going – and see where God has brought me up to,” Akintoye enthused.

The post Yemisi Akintoye Goes Back In Time: How I Switched From Playing Football To Become A Referee appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.