Nasarawa United head coach Mbwas Mangut has expressed disappointment following his side’s 3-1 defeat to Barau FC in their opening match of the 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League season.

The Solid Miners suffered the loss at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on Sunday evening. Both teams scored once in an entertaining first half before Barau FC secured victory with two late goals from Al’Amin Umar and Suga Aliyu.

Mangut said his players performed well but were unfortunate not to convert several scoring opportunities.

“My wards played better, but were unlucky to score from the avalanche of opportunities we had,” Mangut told the club’s media.

“It’s definitely not the way to start the new season, but we will analyse our mistakes, regroup, and bounce back stronger, beginning from our next match.”

Nasarawa United will look to recover from the opening-day setback when they host Bendel Insurance at the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday.