Kano Pillars and Plateau United have secured their places in the final of the 2025 Gusau-Ahlan Pre-season Tournament after convincing semi-final wins at Lafia Township Stadium. Plateau United dispatched Nasarawa United 2–0 with goals from Joshua Dabo in the 49th minute and Maren Kefas in the 64th.
Kano Pillars edged past Wikki Tourists by the same scoreline, via Chiedozie Okorie’s 20th-minute strike and a stoppage-time penalty from veteran Ahmed Musa. The final showdown is scheduled for Friday, 15 August 2025, at Lafia’s venue of the tournament. The clash promises to be a high-stakes test between two formidable NPFL outfits.
Editorial
We believe this final encapsulates the promise of pre-season football a stage where form, fitness and morale meet purpose. Kano Pillars and Plateau United have earned their spots through determination and tactical discipline. Those semi-final displays reflect more than just readiness they hint at season-long intent.
We feel in Plateau United a team carrying momentum confident and cohesive. Goals from Dabo and Kefas suggest a side that knows its identity and attacks with clarity. Kano Pillars, meanwhile, have drawn on resilience and experience. Musa’s late penalty reminds us that veterans remain decisive, even in pre-season intensity.
We sense that Lafia’s final is more than a match it is a statement. Clubs use these tournaments to define tone, to forge belief, and to answer early questions. We stand convinced: this occasion is where reputations are quietly built, match by match, as both sides prepare to write new chapters in the looming league campaign.
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Did You Know?
- The Gusau-Ahlan Cup is a key pre-season fixture in Nigeria, offering NPFL clubs vital match practice ahead of the league season a crucial stage for final squad assessments.
- Kano Pillars play home games at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, a venue with a capacity of 16,000 and a history of hosting major tournaments like the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
- Plateau United, founded in 1975 (originally as JIB Strikers FC), won their first NPFL title in 2017 and have been a consistently competitive force in Nigerian football since .
- Pre-season tournaments like Gusau-Ahlan offer exposure beyond local fans this final is eagerly awaited by supporters nationwide and even draws attention from national football administrators.
- Lafia Township Stadium, the stage for this final, also serves as alternative home ground to clubs like Lobi Stars when their regular venues are under renovation a testament to its regional importance.
