The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rivers United

  • We didn’t convert all our chances -Eguma

    We didn’t convert all our chances -Eguma

     

     

     

     

    Rivers United Coach Stanley Eguma says though 3-0 defeat of Sudanese side Al-Merreikh is heartwarming, it is not yet Uhuru as the return leg will not be a tea party.

    Eguma who attributed the result achieved on Sunday to hard work, however regretted that some begging chances were not converted to increase the tally ahead of the return leg.

    “It was a very good performance no doubt but we had chances that were not converted. We appeared to switch off in the second half but all the same we have a good chance of progressing,” he enthused

    Ivorian import Guy Kuemian grabbed two goals in two minutes for the Garden City side in the first half and it took 63 minutes for the third goal to come thanks to Esosa Igbinoba.

    Rivers United will have their hands full in the battle of Omdurman on March 18. Al-Merreikh who are 16-time champions of the Sudanese league are known for their fight to the finish approach when pushed to the corner a indication  that they will be hoping to cancel the 3-0 advantage of Eguma boys.

    Meanwhile strong indications abound that Zamalek of Egypt will play strictly defensive when they face second Nigerian flag bearers Rangers international at the Cathedral on Sunday. Coach of the side Mohamed Helmy gave the hint when he told his boys to be ready to concentrate for 90 minutes despite going into the match with 4-1 advantage.

    “We should not forget that we still have the return leg to play, the second leg requires more concentration if we are to qualify for the next round,” he said

    Rivers United and Rangers international are the only two Nigerian teams left in the quest for continental laurels this season following the ouster of FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Wikki Tourist of Bauchi respectively in the CAF Confederation Cup. A cross section of soccer fans who spoke on the chance of a Nigerian teams still in contention, gave Rivers United a 50-50 chance of progressing while the Flying Antelopes were handed a 70-30 chance of turning the table against Zamalek.

  • Madu: We are lucky to draw Rivers United

    Madu: We are lucky to draw Rivers United

    Wikki Tourists attacking midfielder, Harrison Madu has said his side had a horrible day against top-flights, Rivers United.

    The Bauchi Elephants were held to a barren draw by the Pride of Rivers in Wednesday’s top-flight matchday 11 clash at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium (ATBS) in Bauchi.

    Madu said his side were somehow happy with the draw as it would have been worst losing the entire points to the Port Harcourt side.

    “It’s really a bad day for us we did our very best to win the clash against Rivers United but it appeared our best was not enough to win the day for us.

    “We had clear chances at goal but could not make it count positively, I must confess that things have not been smooth going for us in the on-going top-flight.

    “Although we remain quite hopeful that things will change for the better in the shortest time so that we can take our pride of place in the league.

    “I must say we are lucky to get a draw against Rivers United as they, too have better chances at winning the match.

    “So we have taken the result in good fate to continue the fight for relevance as it would have been worst if we lost the whole three points.

    “We are still hopeful to hit a turnaround so all hopes are not lost we just witnessed matchday 11 games.

    “We have learnt our mistakes and certain to profit from it in subsequent matches on the league calendar,” said Madu to supersport.com.

    The draw against the Garden City side takes Wikki Tourists total points to 11 from possible 33 in the 11-week old top-flight with two matches at hand against Kano Pillars and MFM FC.

  • CAF Champions League: Rivers United in dangerous situation– Austine warns

    CAF Champions League: Rivers United in dangerous situation– Austine warns

    Rivers United captain, Festus Austine has said drawing 0-0 away from home against AS Real Bamako in the first leg preliminary round of the 2017 CAF Champions League is not a bad result but also described it as a ‘very dangerous situation’.

    Austine warned that he and his teammates need to do more in the return leg in Port Harcourt to get opportunity to qualify for the next stage.

    Rivers United dominated for large stretches in the stalemate at the Estadio Modibo Keita in the first leg clash on Saturday.

    “We did well not to concede but this is a very dangerous situation because if they score once in the return leg, we will have to score twice at least (to progress). AS Real Bamako is a good team and they proved it on Saturday.

    “We are also a very good side and I want to assure Nigerians that we will qualify for the first round by beating AS Real Bamako at home,” Austine said.

  • Rivers United hold AS Real Bamako to goalless draw

    Rivers United hold AS Real Bamako to goalless draw

     

     

     

    Less than 24 hours after Premier league champions   Rangers international held their Algerian counterparts to a 1-1 draw in Algiers, Rivers United have equally risen to the occasion to hold AS Real Bamako of Mali to goalless draw in Bamako in their first leg CAf Champions league tie.

    The Garden City side who refused to be intimidated right from the first blast of the whistle held their hosts to a goalless setting   till the end of the first half.

    On resumption of play in the second half Luckman Mohammed sent in a rattler that should have handed the Port Harcourt landlords a goal. From that 47th minute effort by Lukman it was Rivers United effort all the way with another attempt at goal in the 49th.

    When Real Bamako made dangerous incursion however, it was goalkeeper Femi Thomas that stopped rampaging Abdramane Traore from point blank delivery.

    Asamoah Godbless came in the 56th minute for  Lukman Mohammed as coach Stanley Eguma appears at this point to believe that he can indeed achieve something better the a draw.

    Zoumana Doumana however saw yellow in the 61st minute for a foul on Traore.

    Not even the introduction of Idrissa Traore in place of Mohammed Sangary could achieve the desperate result being sort by the hosts as Rivers United stood their ground supported by impressive performance from goalkeeper Femi Thomas.

    A 73rd minutes cross by Salim Bah that looked dangerous was perfectly collected by a very impressive Femi Thomas.

    Allissou Sanou was taken off in a stretcher in the 77th minute but that did not deter Rivers United as replacement Ayobami Asekunowo took off from he stopped mounting pressure on the hosts who were subsequently forced to introduce a Nigerian Folarin Temitope in the 79th minute to see if he can disunite Rivers United but that failed to happen rather that it gingered Coach Stanley Eguma to introduce the Benard Ovoke dubbed the magician”to replace Nzube Anazemba.

    With few minutes to the end of the match the home fans who were visibly disappointed began to exit the Modibo Keita stadium.

    There were four crucial minutes of added time which appeared to be the most tensed of all the minutes played so far but a determined   Rivers United players refused to crumble till the last whistle.

    The result gives the Garden city side a better position ahead of the return leg which they stand a good chance of winning

  • CAF Championship: Rivers United departs for Mali

     

    Players and officials of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club side, Rivers United, have left for Mali for a Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Championship match.

    This is contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday by Sammy Wejinya, Rivers United Media Officer.

    The statement said that the contingent comprised of 20 players and 13 officials left Nigeria at 9:40am for Bamako.

    According to the statement, Rivers United, one of Nigeria’s representatives in the championship, will play AS Real Bamako on Feb. 10.

    The statement assured Nigerians of a good outing in Mali.

  • Amoo: 3SC were motivated to beat Rivers United

    Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan technical adviser, Fatai Amoo says his wards were at their best when they played against Rivers United in a match day six of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday.

    The Ibadan-warlords halted Rivers United’s five game unbeaten run with a 2-1 win at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

    Sunday Faleye and Jide Apena’s goals either side of half time earned Oluyole Warriors maximum three points at stake in the match while Lukman Mohammed’s first half goal was not enough to get anything for United.

    In a chat after the game, Amoo said that Rivers United’s big status in the league encouraged his boys to play with high intensity during the game, stressing that his boys are improving after each game.

    “We were motivated knowing we were facing one of the best clubs (Rivers United) in the country.  We knew United could easily reduce us to dust if we did not come to the party and that is what really motivated us.  I thank God that my young boys proved that with time, they will grow,” Amoo said in an interview.

  • Eguma admits: We committed blunders against 3SC

    Eguma admits: We committed blunders against 3SC

    Rivers United’s technical manager, Stanley Eguma has admitted that his boys were complacent against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) during Sunday’s matchday six of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) .

    The Oluyole Warriors ended Rivers United five-match unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

    3SC duo of Sunday Faleye and Jide Apena struck either side of half time to render Lukman Mohammed’s effort in the first period abortive and handed the hosts a well deserved win in Ibadan.

    Eguma noted that his boys committed some blunders after getting equaliser which didn’t help their cause, conceding that his wards lost to a better side on the day.

    “The big lesson that we will take from this game was that we didn’t start well plus some blunders we committed in the second half after getting back into the game with the equaliser. Going five matches unbeaten does not make you invincible and that is something we have to learn,” Eguma said.

    The defeat saw United dropped from fifth to eighth on the NPFL log while 3SC rise from 19th to 12th.

  • Rivers United, Plateau United overcome foes

    Rivers United, Plateau United overcome foes

    Rivers United and Plateau United showed they are ready for the NPFL 2016/17 season after they got victory in their first match of the season in Port Harcourt and Shagamu respectively against El Kanemi Warriors and Remo Stars.

    The Pride of Rivers got the curtain raiser in the 26th minute through Guy Kuemian and Emake Ogbhugh bagged the second goal in the 89th minute but El Kanemi Warriors saved their best for the last moments of the tie as Bello Kofarmata got a goal back for the Borno Army in the 90th minute to make it a frenetic finish.

    Remo Stars were unable to mark their first match in the topflight with a win after they were beaten by Plateau United 2-1.

    It was a balanced game until Elisha Golbe got the winning goal for the Jos side in the 53rd minute of the encounter after the first half had ended 1-1 apiece.

  • Eguma counts blessings of Spain tour


    Rivers United coach Stanley Eguma has described the team’s recent playing tour of Spain as a ginger ahead of both new season kick off and the Champions league campaign which begins with away clash against AS Real Bamako in February.
    In what could pass for a pre-season stock taking, Eguma noted that impressive lessons were taken from every match played during the pre-season, adding that short comings observed during the ties have received the needed attention.
    “I can say we made good use of our pre-season and I am optimistic the gains will come handy when the new premier league season kicks off, “he enthused
    On the CAF Champions league draw that pitched the Garden City landlords against AS Real Bamako, Eguma admitted that it will not be tea party considering the pedigree of their opponents adding however that Rivers United have never been pushovers in competitions. “AS Real Bamako are no doubt a very formidable side but we done our preparation and are determined to take our chances,” he submitted
    Some Rivers United Fans who reacted shortly after the draw gave the team sometimes referred to as the Pride of Rivers over 70% chance of advancing to the next stage hinging their optimism on the fact that the team will first play the first leg away before hosting their opponent at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.

  • Rangers get Algerian opponent in CAF Champions League

    … Rivers Utd to tackle Mali’s Real Bamako

    Nigeria’s CAF Champions league campaigners Rangers International and Rivers United will begin their chase for the continental title against JS Saoura of Algeria and As Real Bamako of Mali respectively. The two premier league sides that finished as champions and runners up of the Nigerian professional Football League came face to face with their opponents Wednesday at the draws held in Cairo Egypt.
    Incidentally both teams will play their first leg which holds between 10th to 12th February away before hosting the second legs scheduled for 17th to 19th February respectively. Coach of both teams Imama Amapakabo and Stanley Eguma have expressed confidence that their teams will put up a good fight in the continental show of supremacy.
    In the confederation Cup Ifeanyi Ubah will tackle Al-Masry SC of Egypt while the Wikki Tourist faces RSLAF of Siera Leone. The first leg like the champions league, will hold between 10th-12th of February with the 2nd leg billed for 17th -19th February respectively.
    But unlike the Champions League where the Nigeria flag bearers will first play away, only Ifeanyi Ubah will first play at home. Wikki Tourist will face RSLAF away first before hosting their opponents in Bauchi in the second leg of the preliminary stages.
    The Nigerian ambassadors in the Champions league will not only be competing among the bests in the continent but will stand a chance of carting away the improved largesse that will now see the winner walk away with $2.5 million about (N788 million) and $1.25 million about N394 million for the runners up.