NPFL: Giwa Hails Ezekiel After Inter Lagos Shock Enyimba, Mangut Frustrated By Draw

Inter Lagos head coach Shakiru Giwa has praised teenage forward Moses Ezekiel after his goal secured a 1-0 win over Enyimba in Aba on Sunday, handing the Lagos-based side their first win of the 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

The 19-year-old scored in the 19th minute to give Inter Lagos a crucial victory over the nine-time NPFL champions and end their three-match losing run.

Ezekiel’s goal was his first of the campaign, and Giwa believes it could provide a major boost to the youngster’s confidence.

“He’s still a young player. He’s so far played two or three games, and I think scoring a goal, an important goal like that against an African giant team like Enyimba, will give him confidence and boost his career going forward,” Giwa said.

Inter Lagos had suffered defeats to 3SC, Doma United and Sporting Lagos in their opening three matches before travelling to Aba.

Giwa, who previously played for Enyimba, Julius Berger and Bnei Yehuda, admitted that few expected his team to leave Aba with three points.

“To start with, we really have to thank God for everything. We’ve played three games before now and we lost all, which, going by those results, nobody gave us any chance coming into this game,” Giwa stated.

“But we put our acts together, knowing that in this NPFL, we’re coming to play in it for the first time. The team is just three years old today.

“So, for us to come here and play against a team like Enyimba, a giant team in Africa, because Enyimba is a massive team in Nigeria and on the continent of Africa, it’s a good thing for us.

“It’s a sign for us that we can go back to the drawing board, do some corrections and then consolidate on this win. It will boost the morale of the young players that we’re working with. It’s a good thing for us and we say thank God for everything.”

Heavy rainfall in Aba before kick-off made conditions difficult, but Giwa jokingly described the downpour as a “shower of blessing” for his team.

“We call it ‘shower of blessing’. You can say it’s in our favour because, for us to come here and win is a blessing to us after we lost three games back-to-back,” he said.

Giwa also attributed Inter Lagos’ difficult start to their late preparation and the inexperience of their squad, which largely comprises NNL and NLO players.

“But you know, we started so late and we’re dealing with NNL and NLO players, apart from one player who has played in the NPFL before,” Giwa explained.

“It’s like we’re dealing with too many young players and we need time to train for them to blend together properly because we started so late.

“But for us to come here and get three points against a team like Enyimba, honestly, it will go a very long way for us. It’s going to be a turning point for us.”

Giwa also stressed the need for Inter Lagos to build on the victory when they face Kano Pillars on Wednesday.

“This is a sign of better days ahead, and we’ve to go back and consolidate on what happened here today so that it doesn’t look like a fluke,” he declared.

Meanwhile, Nasarawa United technical adviser Mbwas Mangut expressed frustration after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Rivers United at the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday.

Rivers United took the lead in the 68th minute when Nasarawa United defender Harrison Ebah inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear.

The Solid Miners responded seven minutes from full time when substitute Musa Yakubu converted a penalty after Habibu Alakija was brought down inside the box.

Mangut was unhappy with the result and questioned the officials’ decision not to award Nasarawa United two earlier penalties.

“It was a well-balanced game, and both sides expressed themselves. We conceded from a defensive error, but we were able to come back into the game,” Mangut told the club’s media.

“I’m not happy with the scoreline, but I’ve seen a lot of improvement in my team. We kept pressing until the error came, and even after conceding, we continued to push forward.

“As far as I’m concerned, there were three penalties in our favour in this match. One came in the first half when they pulled my player by the shoulder when he was clear on goal. The other was when our player was fouled from behind inside the box.”