18th December, 2017
Bako Ibrahim, the Team Manager of Kwara United Football Club, says their target for the upcoming Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season is to retain their professional league status.
Ibrahim told the newsmen on Sunday in Abuja that the newly promoted clubside were confident of a good season following the 2017/2018 NPFL draw ceremony.
The draw was held in Kano in the early hours of the day.
The Ilorin-based team will host Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna in a Match Day One fixture on Jan.14, with Ibrahim describing their opponents as “familiar foes’’.
“We have met Tornadoes twice this year.
“We played a friendly in Ilorin and defeated them by a lone goal. Also, both teams participated in the Ahlan pre-season tournament in Kano and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
“So, they are not new to us and I think we are ready for the season.
“There is also no minowws in the NPFL. All teams are very good and we hope to clinch three points in our first game,” Ibrahim said.
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Speaking on his team’s preparations for the country’s top-flight league, Ibrahim said his side had fortified its squad with new players.
“We retained 21 players and bought 14 more, so we are ready for the season.
“Our target is to maintain our Premiership status for now, since we are newly-promoted.
“Probably from next season we will be thinking of the continental stage. But for now, we want to retain our position in NPFL,” Ibrahim said.
Kwara United finished top in the Northern Conference of the Nigeria National League of season 2016/2017 to secure promotion.