Kano Pillars took the lead twice in Sunday's opening fixture of the 2026/2027 Euromatch–NPFL season, only to be pegged back and held to a 2-2 draw by Kwara United at the Rashidi Yekini Mainbowl in Ilorin.
Kwara United head coach Suleiman Ashifat admitted after the game that the result was disappointing from his team's point of view, but he was keen to highlight what the comeback revealed about his newly assembled squad. "Kwara United, as a team, this season, is dominated by new signings, with no more than four old players," said Ashifat, a former Jasper United centre-back. "And for the team to fight their way from two goals down to end the game on a 2-2 draw shows that the future is bright. For now, they are still a work in progress."
For Pillars fans, the dropped points will sting. The team had done the hard work to go two goals ahead and should have closed the game out against a side that Ashifat himself described as still going through a blending process. Instead, Kwara United fought back to share the spoils on matchday one.
Ashifat was nonetheless complimentary towards Pillars, pointing to the quality and experience in Kano's ranks as a measure of what his young group achieved. "If they can hold their ground against an experienced and compact team, full of experienced players, it shows that indeed, this team has a very, very bright future," he said.
Looking ahead, Ashifat made clear he expects improvement when Kwara United travel to face Plateau United in the Week 2 fixture. "Gradually, the team is evolving. We've got too many new players and we're undergoing the blending process. They have shown they are capable of handling bigger games and so, I believe they will do better when we travel to Plateau United this weekend," he said.
From a Pillars perspective, starting the new season with a draw away from home is not a disaster, but surrendering a two-goal advantage is exactly the kind of slip-up the team cannot afford to make a habit of. The focus now turns to building on this result as the campaign progresses.