Nasarawa United head coach, Mbwas, has expressed deep frustration following his side’s dramatic late defeat to Kwara United in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 32 encounter, describing the result as a painful meltdown after a hard-fought display.
The Solid Miners suffered heartbreak at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Saturday evening, conceding a stoppage-time penalty to lose 1-0 in a tightly contested North Central derby.
After a goalless 90 minutes, substitute Abdulsalam Abdulsalam stepped up to convert from the spot in the 95th minute, sealing victory for Kwara United.
The decisive moment came after a defensive lapse involving Utake Emmanuel, with Chidera Nduka adjudged to have committed a foul in the box despite protests from the Nasarawa players.
The result denied Nasarawa United what had looked like a deserved point on the road, leaving players and officials visibly disappointed at full time.
Speaking after the match, Mbwas did not hide his emotions, insisting his side deserved at least a draw from the encounter.
“We are all pained by this result today. We gave everything from the first whistle, only to be let down in the dying minutes. A draw was the worst we expected, but sometimes football can be cruel,” he said.
Despite the defeat, Nasarawa United remain third on the NPFL table with 50 points, while Kwara United boosted their survival hopes, moving up to 18th with 36 points.
Mbwas, however, urged his team to quickly refocus ahead of their next fixture, emphasizing the need to respond positively.
“We have picked up our pieces and remain focused on our targets. Our next game is against Kun Khalifat, and we must bounce back to console our fans.”
Nasarawa United will return to Lafia for their next league outing, where they face Kun Khalifat FC as the season approaches its decisive stretch.
