Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) newcomers Barau FC made a statement on Friday when they smashed title contenders Rivers United 4-1 at their Sani Abacha Stadium home ground in Kano in a rearranged fixture.
Rivers United were always favourites to win this fixture judging by their current form or at worst take a point.
The former champions justified the odds in their favour in the opening moments of the match and deservedly got their noses in front just five minutes into the game through Duke Osimaga.
Finidi George’s Rivers United would have been two or three goals up inside 20 minutes but Samson Obi failed to put the ball past Barau FC goalkeeper Yusuf Muhammed and Azeez Falolu watched as his attempt went agonisingly off target by inches.
THE TURNAROUND
The tide of the game then changed when Barau FC won a spot kick which was converted by Usman Maidubji on 25 minutes to bring the score even.
The confidence of Ladan Bosso’s men grew from thereon as it became a different contest from the opening 20 minutes which Rivers United dominated.
On the stroke of halftime, the Maliya Boys turned things around when Jimmy Ambrose put them in front for the first time in the game.
EX-STAR RETURNS TO HAUNT RIVERS UTD
At the start of the second half, Barau FC head coach, Bosso, switched things up and sent on ex-Rivers United striker Kabir Abdullahi and Hillary Ekawu to replace Abdulmajid Aminu and Nana Abraham.
The introduction of the former Rivers United proved to be an inspired substitution despite Finidi’s attempt to guide his team into the contest when he made a triple change of bringing on Okon Aniekeme, Babatunde Bello and Isaac Annor 10 minutes into the restart when they were still trailing 2-1.
Kabir Abdullahi needed just 18 minutes into his introduction into the game to make an impact.
The centre forward netted the first of his two goals on 64 minutes and then followed up with the second 13 minutes later to hand Barau FC and emphatic victory and their biggest win of their season so far.
The win also lifts Barau FC out of the bottom-four ahead of their Matchday 18 fixture at Nasarawa United on Tuesday.
Despite the heavy defeat, Rivers United keep top spot but will rue the missed chance of going five points clear ahead of second-placed Nasarawa United.
This is the first time Rivers United would ship in four goals in a league game since June 2, 2024 (566 calendar days) when they lost 4-1 at Enyimba.
Rivers United will now make the trip to the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium where they will face Katsina United on Monday.