Nasarawa United claimed a dramatic 3-2 win over zonal rivals Plateau United in an NPFL Matchday 33 encounter on Sunday at the Lafia City Stadium, boosting their survival hopes and earning regional bragging rights.
The Solid Miners opened scoring in the 22nd minute through league top scorer Anas Yusuf, who slotted home his 15th goal of the season after a smart assist from Abubakar Aliyu. Nine minutes into the second half, Ugochukwu Leonard made it 2-0, deflecting Yusuf’s left-footed shot into the net.
Plateau United responded in the 58th minute as Vincent Temitope dribbled past the Nasarawa defence to halve the deficit. The home side restored their two-goal cushion in the 74th minute, with Leonard grabbing his second of the match after reacting quickest to a parried free-kick.
The visitors were handed a lifeline in stoppage time with a penalty, but Temitope’s effort was saved by goalkeeper Detan Ogundare. Plateau United did manage to pull one more back through Samuel Pam in the final seconds, but it was too late to stop Nasarawa from sealing all three points.
The win lifts Nasarawa United to 14th on the table with 42 points—level with Plateau United but trailing on goal difference.
In recognition of the victory, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule awarded the team N2.5 million. He made the announcement on the club’s WhatsApp platform after following the game’s live text commentary.
“Great game, guys! Clean and authoritative win! N2.5 million from me to the team. Congratulations, guys!” the Governor wrote.
Also, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Kwanta Yakubu, gifted the team N1 million at halftime and urged them to stay committed in the battle against relegation. He pledged to continue rewarding the team for positive results in their remaining fixtures.
Reacting after the match, head coach Salisu Yusuf praised his players' performance and emphasized the need to maintain focus.
“We’re happy with the win. The players are applying what we teach in training. Our concentration dropped late in the game, which is risky, but overall it was a good performance,” Yusuf said.
Nasarawa United now turn their attention to the President Federation Cup Round of 16 tie against Bayelsa United on Wednesday in Anyigba, before facing Bendel Insurance in Benin on NPFL Matchday 34.
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