Barau FC defeated Shooting Stars of Ibadan 1-0 in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, on Sunday.
The only goal came in the ninth minute when Shooting Stars defender Olakunle Akala inadvertently scored an own goal.
Despite several attempts by the visitors to equalise, Barau FC held on to secure all three points.
Speaking after the match, Barau FC coach Eugene Agbabe thanked God for the victory, describing the league as increasingly competitive and warning that no team should be underrated.
Agbabe said Shooting Stars were a strong side, having beaten Abia Warriors 4-1 in their previous match.
He explained that Barau FC had targeted an early goal as part of their game plan and achieved it within the opening minutes.
The coach said his players were cautioned against maintaining the same attacking intensity after taking the lead, particularly as the match approached the 70th minute.
“Our priority was to protect the lead and secure the three points. Thankfully, we achieved our objective,” he said.
Agbabe said the team had set a target for the season and would continue working towards achieving it.
He expressed optimism about their next away fixture against Doma United, saying the players would give their best to secure a positive result.
Shooting Stars chief coach Mohammed Bashir, however, blamed his side’s mistakes for the defeat, insisting that Barau FC had not outplayed them.
“To me, Shooting Stars lost to Shooting Stars. I don’t believe we lost to Barau FC; rather, we lost to ourselves because I didn’t see many clear chances created by Barau FC,” he said.
Bashir said his players failed to convert their chances and were punished for their mistakes.
He added that the team improved as the match progressed, claiming that Barau FC created no further clear chances after scoring.
The coach said the technical crew would review the match, identify the errors and work to correct them before their next fixture.
He expressed confidence that Shooting Stars would recover and secure a convincing victory in their next match.
