The Solid Miners needed an outright victory over their visitors from the North-west geopolitical zone of the Country, Kano Pillars, to guarantee their participation at the 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League Season, and they got it the hard way shortly after the half-hour mark.
It was a game that came with so much tension with the Sai Masu Gida side coming under an early pressure when Sunday Okereke waded through the defence only for his last touch to disappoint him.
Kano Pillars’ Auwal Ali would reply almost immediately but his great header went over the bar, with Ismail Nasir the architect of the cross.
Rabiu Ali also almost found the back of the net with two beautiful attempts on goal.
United fortified their squad and Abubakar Abdullahi nearly produced a goal but was unlucky as the ball went against his intended destination for a goalkick.
Shortly after the restart, Jeremiah Gabriel struck a terrific shot from outside the box but missed his target.
But the moment of glory eventually came for the Solid Miners as King Osanga broke the deadlock in the 64th minute after Chinedu Ohanachom’s cross was poorly dealt with, and the former junior international made an easy tap-in from close range to send his teammates and bench of the Solid Miners at the Jos International Stadium into wild celebration.
The hosts held on to the scoreline till regulation time to guarantee their place in the 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League Season and worsened the predicament of the Sai Masu Gida in their bid to escape the drop zone.
United currently have 50 points, and will be on their way to already-relegated side, MFM FC, at the Ijebu-ode Stadium, on Sunday, 17th July, 2022, for their final league match of the Season.
In a post match interview the overjoyed coach of Nasarawa Untited Bala Nikyu said, “We feel so elated to have won today’s game.
“We knew it was going to be this tough because each of the teams was fighting how to escape the red-line, which is the relegation zone.
“As far as I am concerned, Pillars came to play a spoiler’s game but no matter how they intended to approach the game, they would still lose because we were more desirous of victory.
“We needed the three points more than any other one because of what it stands to define.”
For Kano Pillars coach, Salisu Yusuf the match means a lot to him but not happiness as he complained of officiating.
“Alhamdulilah, but as far as today’s game is concerned, I am not happy with the officiating because if you look at the way the referee was handling the game, it was so uninspiring.
“We will, however, get things right in our subsequent game, Insha Allah.”
From Echen Amos
