Kano Pillars kicked off their campaign for honours in the 2019/20 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) playing at home but without their usual boisterous fans on the stands.
The former champions are serving a ban on fans, an outcome of a history of stadium disturbance that reached a peak at the Agege Stadium during the Playoffs that brought the last season to an end.
The League Management Company (LMC) imposed the sanction on the club which began counting from the new season. Their first outing in the ban ended 0-0 against Rivers United and Coach Ibrahim Musa amongst other factors believed the absence of their fans is contributory.
“If our fans were here, I think they would have definitely made the difference, because their support is second to none, its one of the factors that militated against our success, we have learned our lesson and I hope the league organizers (LMC) will lift the stadium ban before our next match” remarked Musa in a post match chat with www.npfl.ng
Musa while ruing the shared points from the fixture, also bemoaned the lack of effective finishing in front of goal by his forwards.
In the game, Pillars created numerous chances but failed to convert about eight such glaring chances in both halves of the game.
But Musa insists he has assembled a competent squad of players that can compete strongly when the attack clicks.
Admitting that the team lacked the needed finishing edge in the fixture, Musa noted that they dominated play all through the match.
“I have a good team at the moment, but our problem is the inability to score goals, it was noticed during our preseason tour and the technical crew worked to correct those lapses.
“The strikers should have taken most of the opportunities to prove their worth and kill the game, now see the outcome, I am very displeased with their performances”, lamented Musa.
Two newly signed strikers were in his starting line-up as Chijoke Alaekwe, Bright Silas joined Nwagua Nyima, who remains the preferred striking options in his 4-3-3 pattern.
Other new arrivals who had their debut where Dosso Saib and defender Abdullahi Musa, and it looked like they are yet to blend into an effective unit.
