Mbwas ignites Nasarawa United’s rise from relegation survivors to title challengers

Nasarawa United’s emphatic 2-0 victory over Katsina United on Matchday 6 of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has catapulted them to the top of the table, overtaking previously unbeaten Enyimba.

But despite the impressive leap, head coach Mangut Mbwas remains grounded.

The Lafia-based side, which narrowly escaped relegation in the past two seasons, is now showing signs of a resurgence under Mbwas, who joined from Plateau United in Jos. His impact has been immediate, sparking hopes among fans for a return to the club’s glory days.

‘We have remain focused. It’s not time for celebration yet because the league is a marathon, and still at its infancy,’ Mbwas said during the post match press conference, downplaying the significance of their current position.

Still, he acknowledged the team’s progress.

‘It’s a thing of joy to win today. Our response was great because we have been working so hard. We actually planned for this, and we are achieving our goals gradually.’

Reflecting on the match, Mbwas praised Katsina United’s resilience and credited the breakthrough to a crucial first half goal by last season’s top scorer, Anas Yusuf.

‘Katsina United are a team that could deny you win because they won’t allow you to play. The first half goal gave us an edge to score the second one, even though we squandered some flurry of chances,’ he explained.

‘We should have scored more than two goals today, but it seems my players were over anxious in front of goal, but we are working towards correcting all of those.’

Looking ahead to their Matchday 7 clash against Insurance in Benin, Mbwas expressed cautious optimism.

‘In our next game, it won’t be easy, but my team is growing in confidence, game in, game out, and I believe we could win anywhere.’