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Abia Warriors head coach Imama Amapakabo has described his side’s goalless draw against Rivers United as “two points dropped” after his team failed to secure a home win in their 2026/2027 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) campaign.
The Abia-based club played out a 0-0 draw with Rivers United in their EuroMatch/NPFL Matchday 8 fixture at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba on Sunday.
The result means Abia Warriors have drawn three of their four home matches this season, leaving them with nine points from eight games.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Amapakabo blamed poor offensive transitions and a lack of confidence among his players for their failure to score.
“It’s two points dropped. You know, it’s two points dropped because, to me, I go into every game wanting to win. We had a big problem today in the offensive transition,” he said.
The former Rangers International manager, who won the NPFL title with the Enugu club in the 2015/2016 season, admitted that Abia Warriors had already dropped six points at home.
He also expressed concern about the team’s reliance on experienced forward Chukwuemeka Obioma for goals.
Obioma has scored six goals and provided one assist in almost all eight league matches this season, but Amapakabo believes other attacking players must contribute more.
“When a team has one individual they count on for goals, it is not the best,” he said, urging his younger players to take greater responsibility.
Despite the disappointment, Amapakabo praised young defender Godwin Meyanga for his performance on his league debut and promised to give more opportunities to youngsters who impress in training.
Meanwhile, Rivers United technical manager Finidi George expressed satisfaction with his team’s unbeaten start to the season and their performances away from home.
The draw kept Rivers United second in the league table with 16 points, one behind leaders Rangers International.
Finidi praised his defence but admitted that the accumulation of matches was beginning to take its toll on his players.
“I’m quite happy with the way we’ve handled most of our away matches so far,” he said.
The former Super Eagles winger also stressed the importance of securing points on the road, recalling that Rivers United lost last season’s league title by just one point.
“Sometimes, at the end of the season, all these points will count for a lot,” Finidi added.
He described his team’s second-half performance in Aba as inconsistent but said they were satisfied with the result and would build on their current form.
Below are the 2026-2027 NPFL Matchday 8 Results
Friday, 9 October
Katsina United 4-2 Enyimba
Saturday, 10 October
Ranchers Bees 0-0 Niger Tornadoes
Ikorodu City 2-0 Kwara United
Sunday, 11 October
Kun Khalifat FC 2-0 Shooting Stars
Sporting Lagos 2-1 Bendel Insurance
Barau FC 2-2 Enugu Rangers
Plateau United 4-0 Kano Pillars
Warri Wolves 3-1 Inter Lagos
Abia Warriors 0-0 Rivers United
Nasarawa United 2-0 Doma United
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