By, Zakari Haruna Isah
The Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Kada Warriors FC, continued their intensive preparations for the upcoming 2025/2026 NNL season with a grade-game friendly encounter against Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) giants, Kano Pillars, at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano. The highly anticipated match, played this evening, ended in a 3-1 defeat for the visiting Kaduna-based club.
The friendly is part of a series of tune-up matches for the Warriors, both at home and away, designed to test their squad depth and readiness against top-tier opposition ahead of the new campaign.
Kada Warriors kicked off the match, but it was the hosts, Kano Pillars, who quickly took control. Pillars’ forward, wearing jersey number 23, Aliyu, proved to be the early difference-maker, netting a quick brace in the 22nd and 28th minutes to give the Premier League side a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the half-time break.
The second half saw the Warriors step up their defensive efforts and work hard to get back into the game, but the solid Pillars’ backline held firm. With the clock winding down, Kano Pillars extended their lead in the 80th minute, making the score 3-0 and seemingly putting the game beyond the reach of the visitors.
However, Kada Warriors showed a late spark of determination. Four minutes later, in the 84th minute, Mustapha Salihu found the back of the net, pulling one back for the Warriors to reduce the deficit and ignite a brief hope of a late comeback.
The goal, unfortunately, was the last of the game. The final whistle blew with the score standing at Kano Pillars 3–1 Kada Warriors.
Despite the loss, the match provides “plenty of lessons to take forward,” according to a club source, offering the NNL side valuable match-fitness and experience playing against one of the country’s elite clubs as they finalise their preparations for the new season.
The Kada Warriors General Manager, Garba Lawal and the chief Coach Danlami Kwasau noted several lessons that needed to be addressed.
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