By Daniel Dauda, Jos


Reigning champions, Plateau united football club of Jos have secured their first victory in match day 3 fixtures of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) 2020/21 season after defeating Heartland FC Owerri by 3-0.

Mohammed Zulkifilu got the first goal in the first half of the encounter before Amos Gyang score through a penalty and Akila Jesse make it three in the second half of the game in favour of the home side Plateau united on Sunday at New Jos Stadium, Zaria Road.

The victory now saw Plateau united got four points in their three match played after playing a goalless draw on away to Wikki Tourist Bauchi previously and also lost at home to Kwara United in their first NPFL campaign.

Speaking to Journalists after 90 minutes, Plateau united Chief Coach, Abdu Maikaba expressed optimism with the performance of the team.

"We are happy with this victory, actually you  know when you have goal drought you find it very difficult to score goals must especially on home ground there is pressure on the players. We try to tell the players they should play their usual way, and as they play very well they create a lot of opportunities which it gives us victory. Actually, we are very happy about it!

Looking forward to the next game against Kano pillars, Maikaba said," just like any other game the confidence of the boys is coming gradually and I believe we can get something out of that game. The most important thing is to have an idea of our opponents.Recently I saw the performance of Kano pillars at the beginning of the season, we are going to study their techniques."

On changes in the team, the Coach acknowledge that ever since the team came back from Tanzania majority of the players fall sick which affected the team performance but now we're bounce back.

Former Nigeria international and assistant coach of Heartland FC Owerri, Christian Obi said the game is not that bad. "Losing is part of the game and the boys have some fatigue that is why it happens the way it happened.

"Playing without a chief coach it has some psychological effects on the players in the sense that, when the father is not conceive the children will fill absence of their father. But definitely, the boys are professional players and they are going to improve on subsequent games.

"We are owing two months salaries, but while on our way coming here we started getting alerts but that should have done earlier because football is something you do with mine and when the psychology of players is affected to pick it again it will take some time.

Recall Heartland FC lost all their three matches played but Christian Obi  believe the team will not go down again nothing that they have look at their loophole and would block it.

Plateau united next match in the midweek will be away against Kano Pillars.