By SCM Sports Writer
KATSINA, NIGERIA — In a league where the margins are thinner than a Lagos tailor’s needle, it takes a moment of pure, celestial magic to separate the contenders from the also-rans.
Yesterday at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, that magic was provided by the only star that mattered.
Katsina United secured a gritty 1-0 victory over Nasarawa United, but the scoreline tells only half the story of a match defined by individual brilliance amidst the tactical grit.
While the “Solid Miners” of Nasarawa arrived with a reputation for being an immovable object, they hadn’t reckoned on the unstoppable force of Katsina’s attacking line.
The breakthrough came via a clinical finish that had the home faithful screaming for a “Golden Ball” nomination.
It wasn’t just about the goal, though.
The match was a showcase of rising talent:
The Match-Winner: Displaying the kind of composure you’d expect at Wembley, the Katsina talisman sliced through the defense with a low-center of gravity that left markers chasing shadows.
The Wall: On the opposite end, Katsina’s shot-stopper pulled off a “Star-Turn” save in the dying minutes, fingertipping a Nasarawa volley over the bar to ensure the three points stayed in the North.
Nasarawa United didn’t come to roll over. Their own midfield engine room worked tirelessly, looking to exploit any crack in the Katsina armor.
However, for all their industry, the “Solid Miners” lacked that final, twinkling touch in the final third.
They looked like a team searching for a North Star that simply refused to come out.
”We knew it would take something special to break them down,” one Katsina official noted post-match. “In this league, you need your stars to align, and tonight, they did.”
This wasn’t a game of flowing, easy football. It was a heavyweight bout where one clean punch landed. Katsina United move up the table, their ambitions looking brighter than ever, while Nasarawa are left to regroup and find a way to reignite their own flickering season.
As the sun sets over the Dikko Stadium, the message is clear: in the NPFL, the brightest stars always find a way to shine.
