Nasarawa United head coach Mbwas Mangut has urged his players to quickly put their opening-day disappointment behind them and respond strongly after the Solid Miners suffered a 3-1 defeat to Barau FC in their EuroMatch NPFL Matchday One encounter in Kano.
Despite the scoreline, Mangut believes his team showed enough attacking promise to have taken something from the game, describing the result as an unfortunate outcome for a side that created several opportunities.
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Barau FC were simply more clinical when their chances arrived, turning their opportunities into goals and securing a memorable three points in their first match of the new campaign.
For Mangut, however, the performance offered something to build on.
The Nasarawa United coach acknowledged that his players created opportunities but were unable to provide the finishing touch required to punish Barau FC. The failure to convert those openings, coupled with defensive lapses, ultimately proved costly.
“We will analyse our mistakes, regroup and bounce back stronger,” Mangut said after the encounter.
Those words now set the tone for Nasarawa United’s response as the Solid Miners prepare for their next EuroMatch NPFL assignment.
Mangut’s assessment is particularly significant because it shows that the technical crew is not looking only at the result, but also at the performance and the areas that must be corrected.
The opening-day defeat has therefore provided an early lesson for a Nasarawa United side with a long campaign ahead. Creating chances is an encouraging foundation, but the team will need greater composure in front of goal while tightening up defensively if they are to turn good performances into points.
Barau FC, meanwhile, deserve credit for making the most of their opportunities. Their 3-1 victory gives the newly promoted side an ideal beginning and provides an early glimpse of the competitiveness that could define this season’s EuroMatch NPFL.
For Nasarawa United, there is no need for panic.
There is, however, a need for a response.
Mangut has made his position clear: analyse, regroup and bounce back.
And with Matchday One now providing the first lessons of the 2026/27 campaign, the next fixture gives Nasarawa United an opportunity to show that their opening defeat was only a setback—not a reflection of what this team can become in the EuroMatch NPFL.
