NPFL:Nasarawa United Coach Hails Collective Effort After 2–1 Win Over Rangers
2 min read
By Sedara Philip
Head coach of Nasarawa United, Mangut Mbwas, has praised his players for their resilience and continuous improvement following Sunday’s 2–1 comeback victory over Enugu Rangers in Lafia — a result that stretched the Solid Miners’ unbeaten run to five matches in the ongoing 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
Speaking after the game, Mbwas expressed delight with the team’s performance, describing the result as a product of hard work, focus, and tactical discipline.
“I feel very happy with today’s result, more so that my team keeps improving every day,” he said. “The game wasn’t entirely smooth, but you don’t expect all matches to go the same way — opponents will always have their own moments.”
The coach admitted his side had a shaky start but lauded the players for their strong response after halftime.
“It was a tough first half, but we regrouped and came out stronger. The reaction from my boys was positive, and we got the second goal that sealed the win,” Mbwas explained.
On officiating, the Nasarawa boss chose diplomacy, saying:
“We had some penalty calls that didn’t go our way, but the referee is human, and his decisions are final. We respect that.”
Mbwas also highlighted the team’s collective approach to scoring, noting that he prefers a system where every player contributes offensively.
“I have different goalscorers in my team because we don’t rely on one player. We train everyone to be a goalscorer — it makes the job easier,” he said.
Looking ahead to their next fixture against Ikorodu City FC in Lagos, Mbwas emphasized confidence and focus despite the long journey.
“We’ve built the team’s confidence so much that we can win anywhere,” he stated. “It’s a long trip to Lagos, and we hope the authorities consider ways to ease the travel stress. But we won’t dwell on excuses — we’ll stay self-motivated and push toward our goals.”
While downplaying early talk of continental ambitions, Mbwas admitted that consistency remains key.
“The league is still fresh, even though we’ve gathered some important points after Matchday 8,” he said. “Our target is to remain among the top three by the end of the campaign.”
With the win, Nasarawa United remain top of the NPFL table with 19 points from eight matches — four points ahead of second-placed Abia Warriors.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
