Plateau United head coach Gbenga Ogunbote has shed light on the blend of mental strength and tactical discipline driving his team’s recent surge in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
The Tin City side extended their unbeaten streak to six matches with a hard-fought 1–0 win over Kwara United at the New Jos Stadium on Sunday.
Sodeeq Yusuf struck late in the 89th minute to seal the points and underline Plateau United’s growing confidence.
Ogunbote, speaking after the match, stressed that the team’s revival has been largely psychological, backed by subtle tactical adjustments.
“It’s mainly about mindset,” he said. “We worked on changing the players’ mentality and made them understand they have a reputation to protect.
When a team goes down, individual value drops. Alongside that, we made some technical and tactical changes, and of course, we thank God for His grace.”
Despite dominating possession, Ogunbote admitted his side struggled with composure, especially after Kwara United were reduced to ten men.
“We should have killed the game in the first half, but anxiety crept in,” he explained.
“Surprisingly, when they went a man down, it became tougher. We were rushing things. I kept urging the players to stay calm and trust that the goal would come.”
The veteran coach revealed that his late attacking reshuffle was intentional, as he committed more forwards in search of a breakthrough.
“I believed we could still grind out the result,” he noted. “We loaded the attack with centre forwards, knowing that any of them could make the difference. We just needed the right delivery, and thankfully, it arrived.”
That decisive moment came through Yusuf, a former Kwara United striker. Ogunbote admitted the forward was not fully match-fit but felt his motivation against his old club made him a worthwhile gamble.
“Sodeeq isn’t 100 per cent fit, but players always want to face their former teams,” he said. “Even if he didn’t play perfectly, what mattered most was the goal. I’m sure it meant a lot to him.”
The victory marked Plateau United’s fourth win in five matches and continues their best run of form this season.
Since Ogunbote’s appointment in January, the club remains unbeaten, has moved clear of relegation danger, and now sits 12th on the NPFL table.
For Kwara United, however, the defeat compounds a difficult period.
The Harmony Boys have now lost four of their last five games and remain 18th, deep in the relegation zone.
