By Eche Amos

Nasarawa United FC began the 2023/24 Nigeria National League, NNL campaign on a winning note after they beat visiting Zamfara United United 1-0 on Saturday at the Lafia City Stadium.

Aminu Abubakar’s 9th minute  goal in the first-half after being found through by former Nigerian junior international and Captain of Nasarawa United FC, King Osanga, to earn the Solid Miners a deserved 1-0 victory in Group C of the NNL curtain raiser decided at  the refurbished Lafia City Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The defender became the first scorer in the 2023/24 NNL season

The home side had failed to utilize avalanche of goalscoring opportunities that came their ways.

However, They were able to weather the threats from the visitors, Zamfara United FC, toward the closing stages of the highly demanding but entertaining encounter watched by Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State who performed the ceremonial kick-off for the new league season, alongside his Deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, former Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Aliyu Ubandoma,  Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Jafaru Ango, and his counterparts from other Ministries; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Barr. Isaac Danladi; representatives of the Nigeria Football Federation led by the NFF Secretary-General, Barr. Sanusi Muhammad, Board Members of the Nigeria National League headed by George Aluo; Chairman of Nasarawa United FC, Dr. Othman Ibrahim Ahmed; top Government functionaries, among others.

Supportive frontman, Chidera Nduka was voted as Man-of-the-Match winner by journalists who covered the game after regulation time due to his spectacular performance in the game.

It was Coach Adams Usman’s litmus test in the new campaign following his recent appointment as Technical Adviser of the Lafia-based side, a couple of months ago.

United already tops the Group C chart with three points with more Group C matches to be played in the coming days.