In an exciting encounter, Barau FC's seven-match unbeaten streak was brought to a close as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Rivers United during the rescheduled week 25 match of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) held in Port Harcourt.
The first half ended in a stalemate, but it was former Katsina United defender Stephen Manyo who broke the deadlock in the 85th minute, securing all three points for Rivers United.
It's worth noting that Barau FC previously triumphed over Rivers United with a 4-1 scoreline in the first leg, marking their largest win in the NPFL to date.
With this victory, Rivers United ascended to the top of the league table with 46 points, edging past Ikorodu United, which briefly held first place with 45 points from 27 matches.
This win also marked the second consecutive positive result for Rivers United, following a crucial 1-1 draw against Kwara United in the rearranged week 22 match in Ilorin.
After facing an early exit from this year's CAF Champions League, where they failed to record any wins, the NPFL organizers promptly rescheduled five outstanding matches for Rivers United.
Having accrued four points from the first two of these outstanding fixtures, Rivers United aims to continue building momentum. They have upcoming matches against El-Kanemi Warriors on March 4 in Port Harcourt, 3SC on March 12 in Ibadan, and Niger Tornadoes on March 19 at Lafia.
Barau FC's run without a loss spanned seven matches following the departure of their former head coach Ladan Bosso in January. Under new head coach Eugene Agagbe, Barau FC had climbed to 13th place in the standings, thanks to their improved defensive performance.
Remarkably, before this match, Barau FC was the sole unbeaten team since January, boasting three wins and four draws during that stretch.
Their recent performances included a home victory against Niger Tornadoes (2-1), a goalless draw with Enyimba in Aba, and a 1-1 tie with Bayelsa United at home. The Maliya Boys also achieved a commendable goalless draw at Bendel Insurance and secured home victories over Ikorodu City and Kun Khalifat, alleviating their relegation concerns.
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