In one of the most stunning results of the ongoing Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, title hopefuls Abia Warriors were handed a humbling 5-1 defeat by Katsina United in the early kickoff of matchday 34.
The clash at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium turned into a nightmare for Imama Amapakabo’s men, who found themselves chasing shadows as the home side ran riot in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
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Katsina United, inspired by a blistering start and ruthless finishing, inflicted the heaviest defeat yet on an Abia Warriors side that had climbed to a surprise third place on the table prior to the encounter.
The visitors were simply no match for a Katsina team that converted almost every opportunity they created.
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Goals galore: Katsina’s ruthless display
The tone for the day was set early. Said Mubarak opened the floodgates in just the 2nd minute, stunning the visitors.
By the 5th minute, it was 2-0 thanks to Bello Lukman, and though Abia Warriors pulled one back through the consistent Ijoma Antoine Desouza in the 11th minute, the comeback hopes were short-lived.
Katsina turned up the heat again in the second half. Abdulbari Nura netted the third in the 56th minute, followed closely by a second for Lukman three minutes later.
Abdul Taofeek completed the demolition with a fifth goal deep into stoppage time, rounding off a dominant and unforgettable afternoon for the hosts, who were mauled 6-0 themselves at Ikorodu City in Lagos just nine days ago.
We got punished for every mistake — Amapakabo
Speaking after the game, a visibly disappointed Coach Imama Amapakabo didn’t mince words in his assessment of the collapse.
“It’s a sad day for the team in terms of gameplay. I think individually and tactically, we didn’t get it right. So many things went into this game that we have to review, even off the field.”
He suggested that complacency may have crept in due to their recent form:
“You don’t come to play a team and not show them the respect they’re due. The results this team had gotten prior to now made my players believe it was going to be a walk in the park. It’s always tough when you concede two goals in less than a minute and a half. We made too many technical and tactical mistakes and got punished for each of them.”
Amapakabo also praised the home team for their execution.
“Kudos to the Katsina team, I hope they keep pushing like this. Most people think you’re a bad team when you concede six goals. But here we are, conceding five. In the NPFL, you can get punished if you don’t get your tactics right.”
On harsh turf, weather and lessons learnt
When asked about the challenges of playing on the dry, hot artificial surface in Katsina, the coach refused to hide behind excuses.
“One of the things I try not to do, not just as a coach but as a human being, is make excuses for defeats. Sure, the dustiness of the pitch and the heat at 3 p.m. here are factors—but will that change the result?”
Instead, he turned the focus inward: “It’s a lesson for me. A deep one. My players should have better footwear for AstroTurf. The Katsina players are Nigerians too. Same weather, same conditions. So we have no excuses. It’s a wake-up call for my team that it’s not over until it’s over.”
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Eyes on the prize: Four matches to go
Despite the setback, Amapakabo is urging his players to stay focused on the final stretch of the campaign.
“We’ve got four games to go. Like I always say, we just must keep our heads on our shoulders and work hard.”
With the race for continental slots heating up, Abia Warriors will need a swift response to avoid undoing the fine work that lifted them to the top three.
But if there’s one thing the NPFL teaches week after week, it’s that there are no guarantees.
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