Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) new boys, Barau FC, rescued a point off Katsina United in Saturday’s only fixture on Matchday 12 at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina. The match ended 1-1.
It was a strong starting side that Katsina United head coach Azeez Audu Mohammed named despite leaving goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo on the bench. Captain Usman Barau, Uche Collins, Azeez Falolu and Abdullahi Zalli made were among the starters.
Barau FC head coach Ladan Bosso included the duo of Adamu Hussain and Nura Abdulbari for the first time in the matchday squad this season while Samuel Mathias, Emmanuel Okoko and Ghanaian Nana Abraham took the midfield places.
It was Katsina United that started stronger when Ismail Muhammad’s attempt stung the palms of Barau goalkeeper Yusuf Muhammad on five minutes.
The opening moments were also characterised by physical play rather than technical and it made difficult for both sides to create anything meaningful attackwise owing to the stop-start flow.
Both goals due to the physicality of the two sides did not come from free-flowing style but dead-ball situations.
On 38 minutes, Uche Collins headed in the ball off a corner kick to give Katsina United the lead which proved the difference at halftime.
The style of play did not change in the second half as it looked more like a brawl with both teams showing their physical side.
The Maliya Boys found a way back into the contest when defender Orji Kalu popped up front for a setpiece to score from a follow-up after Katsina United could not clear their lines.
Audu’s men pushed for one last chance to claim the full points inside eight added minutes but it ended in the share of points that still leaves Barau FC in the bottom-three while Katsina United take up seventh place until Sunday’s fixtures.