Kwara United head coach, Ashifat Sulyman, says his side has identified key areas requiring improvement following the Harmony Boys' 2-1 defeat to Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in a pre-season friendly played in Ibadan on Sunday.

The match formed part of both clubs' preparations for the 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, with Shooting Stars also using the fixture to fine-tune their squad ahead of their continental campaign.

The hosts made a bright start, taking the lead through Tahir Abubakar in the 26th minute before the forward doubled their advantage just before half-time in the 44th minute.

Kwara United responded after the break, with Benjamin Jack pulling one back in the 58th minute. However, the Ilorin-based side could not find an equaliser as Shooting Stars held on to secure victory.

Reacting after the match, Sulyman said the defeat provided valuable lessons for his technical crew ahead of the new season.

According to him, the friendly exposed aspects of the team's performance that require improvement before the start of the league campaign.

The coach assured supporters that the technical crew would address the shortcomings identified during the game as preparations continue.

"I urge our fans to keep believing in the team and continue supporting our rebuilding process as we prepare for the new season," Sulyman said.

Kwara United will continue their pre-season programme in the coming weeks as they intensify preparations for the 2026/27 NPFL season.

The friendly against Shooting Stars provided another opportunity for the coaching crew to assess the squad and evaluate players as the Harmony Boys continue their build-up to the new campaign.