Kano Pillars delivered a dramatic late victory to dent the title hopes of Rivers United, with head coach Muhammad Babaganaru praising his side’s resilience after a hard-fought contest at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
The Sai Masu Gida needed a stoppage-time winner from Ahmed Musa to seal a 2–1 win in the Nigeria Premier Football League clash, a result that could prove crucial in both the title race and the relegation battle.
Kano Pillars Show Character in Late Win Over Rivers United
Speaking after the match, Babaganaru admitted it was far from a perfect performance but highlighted the team’s fighting spirit.
“To be sincere, it was a very difficult match. You know, they are the league leaders. They are very ambitious. They want to win the league.
They come out forcefully. They did everything to see that they achieve something here. But I’m impressed with my players for putting in a very good character.
Never-give-up attitude. After we score a goal, they keep on pushing. The boys still believe.
They keep on pushing. Sometimes it’s like that. You can do everything; you can play poorly or badly in the first 85 minutes.
In the last five minutes, you can get a positive result. And that’s what happened today.
You know, we keep on telling these players that they should keep on believing in themselves. Because if you believe in yourself, there’s no limit to what you can achieve. No matter what you do in life, if you give up, you will not achieve what you want.
You keep on believing. And at the end of the day, you can achieve what you want to achieve. Today, the boys showed a very good character.
As I said earlier, we are thankful for the result.”
The game itself was evenly balanced for long periods. The first half ended goalless, while a second-half effort from Rivers United was ruled out for offside.
Kano Pillars eventually broke the deadlock late on when Abdullahi Musa converted from close range after good work by Ahmed Musa.
The visitors responded quickly through a late equaliser, but Pillars had the final say.
In stoppage time, Ahmed Musa rose highest to head home the winner, capping a man-of-the-match performance and taking his tally to seven goals this season.
Babaganaru Demands Belief as Pillars Fight Relegation Battle
Despite the victory, Kano Pillars remain close to the drop zone, with the NPFL set for a short break due to Federation Cup fixtures.
Babaganaru turned his attention to the next challenge, urging consistency and improvement, especially in away matches.
“We all want to go there and get a positive mind. We are going to approach every match with a positive mind.
Because we still want to get something outside to be comfortable. Despite the fact that these two weeks we played away, we are not getting the desired result.
But to be sincere, we are going to do some changes when we are playing away matches next time.
The fans should keep on believing in us. Be patient. Be patient. That is the most important thing. Keep on supporting us till the end of the 90 minutes.”
The win ends a difficult run and gives Kano Pillars renewed hope as they prepare for a crucial away fixture against Kun Khalifat.
At the other end of the table, Rivers United’s title push has taken a major hit, with the result handing momentum to Enugu Rangers in the race for the NPFL crown.
With just a few games left, Kano Pillars will be aiming to build on this momentum and secure their top-flight status.