Plateau United have made a difficult start to the 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, suffering a 2–0 defeat away to Rivers United on Matchday One.

The Jos-based side were unable to find the back of the net at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, with Abdulrasheed Dabai and Wasiu Falolu scoring for Rivers United to secure all three points for the hosts.

The defeat leaves Plateau United 19th on the 20-team NPFL table, with zero points, no goals scored and two conceded after the opening round of fixtures. Only Sporting Lagos sit below them, also without a point and with a -2 goal difference. (npfl.com.ng)

A difficult opening

Plateau United’s opening-day loss comes after the club finished 10th in the 2025/26 NPFL season, recording 15 wins, five draws and 18 defeats from 38 matches. They scored 39 goals and conceded 40, finishing the campaign with 50 points.

Their final league fixture of last season, however, ended on a positive note, as Victor Dawa scored in stoppage time to give Plateau United a 1–0 home victory over Kano Pillars on May 24.

The new campaign has therefore begun in contrasting fashion, with the team needing to quickly rediscover the resilience that helped them finish the previous season in the top half of the table.

Home opportunity against Kwara United

Plateau United will have an immediate opportunity to respond when they host Kwara United at the New Jos Stadium on Sunday, September 6.

The Matchday Two fixture is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., according to the official NPFL fixtures.

Kwara United also opened their campaign with a draw, playing out a 2–2 stalemate against Kano Pillars. They currently occupy ninth position with one point.

For Plateau United, the encounter represents more than an opportunity to register their first points of the season. A convincing home performance could provide an early psychological lift and prevent the team from becoming trapped near the foot of the table.

Plateau United’s current picture

After one match, Plateau United’s numbers are straightforward:

• Position: 19th
• Played: 1
• Wins: 0
• Draws: 0
• Losses: 1
• Goals scored: 0
• Goals conceded: 2
• Goal difference: -2
• Points: 0 (npfl.com.ng)

With 37 matches still to play, the table is naturally too early to draw major conclusions. But the immediate task for the Peace Boys is clear: turn New Jos Stadium into a fortress and get their first points on the board against Kwara United.

The 2026/27 NPFL season only began on August 28, and the league is already showing how quickly fortunes can change. Plateau United will hope that their opening-day disappointment proves to be a temporary setback rather than the beginning of another difficult campaign.