Barau FC head coach Eugene Agagbe says the Kano club are aiming for a significantly improved campaign in the 2026/27 EuroMatch Nigeria Premier Football League after beginning the season with a 3-1 victory over Nasarawa United.
The Maliya Boys opened their second successive season in Nigeria’s top flight with an impressive home performance at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on Sunday, 30 August. Their commanding win has given the club early momentum as they pursue what Agagbe believes could be a more ambitious campaign.
Barau FC will attempt to follow up that result when they travel to Owerri to face Kun Khalifat FC at the Dan Anyiam Stadium on Sunday.
The meeting will bring together two clubs who secured promotion to the NPFL after strong displays in the 2024/25 Nigeria National League Super 8 play-offs. Those matches were held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State.
Agagbe believes Barau FC’s first season among Nigeria’s leading clubs provided valuable lessons which can now help them compete for more significant honours.
The former Lobi Stars head coach said the club’s eighth-place finish last term, achieved with 52 points, represented a positive outcome for a team making its debut in the division.
“Last season, we tested the waters in the NPFL. It wasn’t a bad experience because finishing eighth with 52 points is not a poor result for a team making its debut in the top flight,” Agagbe said.
He added that the experience gained during that campaign had changed the club’s expectations ahead of the new season.
“Now, with the experience we gathered last season, I don’t think dreaming big should be considered over-ambitious.
“It is not going to be a stroll in the park. All the teams are well prepared and we are also ready.
“We will try to give our ultimate best in every single game, believing that with God on our side, our efforts will be crowned with success.”
Barau FC’s opening victory over Nasarawa United provides an early indication of the progress Agagbe hopes his side can make. However, the coach has acknowledged that the competition will be demanding, with every team prepared for the challenges of the NPFL.
The club’s immediate focus is now on Kun Khalifat FC, who, like Barau FC, earned promotion through the NNL Super 8 play-offs. The fixture at the Dan Anyiam Stadium will offer both sides an opportunity to build on their return to the top flight and strengthen their early position in the 2026/27 campaign.