Wikki Tourists have attributed their 1–1 draw with Nasarawa United to fatigue following a demanding schedule, CompleteSports.com reports.
In Sunday’s 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 24 clash at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi, Victor Chimezie put the visitors ahead in the 28th minute.
Wikki Tourists responded through Jonathan Mairiga, who levelled matters in the 35th minute, giving the hosts a share of the spoils at the break. During the second half, the Bauchi-based outfit were awarded a penalty, but Ibrahim Shuaibu could not convert, leaving the scoreline unchanged.
After the match, Wikki Tourists assistant coach Bashir Saleh explained that the players were affected by fatigue from three consecutive fixtures and a long trip back from Umuahia after their previous NPFL game. Saleh nonetheless praised the team’s resilience and fighting spirit. Wikki will next host Katsina United in their Matchday 25 fixture at home as they look to build on the point.
Editorial
On a day when little separated Wikki Tourists and Nasarawa United on the scoreboard, the story behind the result revealed something deeper the invisible weight of a modern football calendar and the character required to endure it. The 1–1 stalemate in Bauchi was not just a point gained it was, in many respects, a lesson in resilience under duress.
Wikki Tourists have become emblematic of a side fighting for identity as much as results. Their response to going behind — via Jonathan Mairiga’s equaliser, demonstrated temperament and tactical awareness. Nasarawa United, second on the table and unbeaten in recent outings, presented a stern test, one requiring both discipline and energy.
And yet, Wikki’s assistant coach Bashir Saleh did not flinch from acknowledging that fatigue played a central role in his side’s performance. The demands of three successive matches and extensive travel particularly the long return journey from Umuahia evidently exacted a cost. This is a reminder that in the NPFL, where logistics and travel distances can amplify physical tolls, endurance is as decisive as technical proficiency.
The missed penalty by Ibrahim Shuaibu, while disappointing in the moment, tells a larger story about marginal fatigue how a slight dip in sharpness can alter a match’s complexion. Yet Saleh’s praise for his side’s effort reveals an encouraging truth even when weariness imposes itself, the collective spirit can still rise to meet the challenge.
Looking forward, Wikki’s ability to convert resolve into results particularly at home against Katsina United next will be a defining thread in their campaign. In a league where every point feels earned and every journey exacts its toll, this draw was both a mirror and a measure of who they are a team not easily beaten, even when tested.
Did You Know?
- Wikki Tourists have played three consecutive league matches in a short span, contributing to reported fatigue before the clash with Nasarawa United.
- Nasarawa United remain unbeaten in four straight NPFL matches as of this draw, tightening the title race at the summit.
- Wikki Tourists sit 13th on the NPFL table with 28 points from 24 matches, placing them in the mid-table tussle this season.
- This encounter saw under-2.5 goals, a recurring pattern in the Wikki versus Nasarawa United head-to-head matches, indicating typically tight defensive battles.
- Fatigue from travel and scheduling has been cited by NPFL coaches before, illustrating the league’s unique logistical challenges across Nigeria’s vast geography.
