Rivers United forward Godbless Asamoah says he is unrelenting in his desire to rank among the best finishers in the Nigeria Professional league. The Ghanaian import who just concluded pre-season shape up with his teammates in Spain ahead of the new season said as a striker he is always thinking of how to improve for the better noting that winning is about scoring goals and he is determined to seize every opportunity for the good of the team.
“”Every striker wants to score goals because that is what winning is all about, I think about improvement all the time more so when there is need for us to make an impact in the continent,”” he said
The Garden city club according to him will have double challenge in the new season, that of re-enacting the good performance recorded last season and making a mark in the continent.
Rivers United, who will be competing in the CAF Champions league alongside league winners Rangers International, rounded off their pre-season tour of Spain with a 3-3 tie against Spanish side CD Roda. Die-hard fans of the Port Harcourt based side who monitored the friendly matches played in Spain however said the Stanley Eguma tutored side has to work seriously on defense before hitting the continent. For the team to have shot into the lead three times in a match and conceded almost immediately according to them is an indication that the defense is shaky and needs beefing up.
Tag: Rivers United
-
Asamoah sets target ahead Champions League
-
Rivers United’s Asekunowo amazed by Spain experience
Rivers United defender, Ayobami Asekunowo has admitted that he has learnt a lot in Spain but noted there aren’t much changes.
“The training tour of Spain is an amazing experience for the entire squad. The facilities here are top notch and their approach is very professional,” Aseknuowo told Goal.
“We are doing very fine despite the cold here, our next match is on Monday. There isn’t much difference compared to Nigeria however, the weather here is something else, it’s really cold. The facilities here are amazing.
“The exposure for the team doesn’t come better than this, it has in a way built our confidence level and also exposed us to new ideas. It’s an interesting tour which we shall forever be grateful for,” Ayobami Asekunowo told Goal.
-
Rivers United say Super 4 triumph will galvanise them
Rivers United have said they hope to achieve more after they won the pre-season NPFL Super 4 in Enugu.
Coach Stanley Eguma said the Port Harcourt team will continue to work hard to record more successes.
“It is always good to win any match or indeed, any competition you enter for but the truth is, the hard work we have put in since November 1 (when the club commenced pre-season) must continue,” said Eguma.
“We realise that the real objective is to do well in the league, the Federation Cup and the CAF Champions League next year.
“It is imperative to note here that none of the teams who played in the last Super 4 (Enyimba, Warri Wolves, Nasarawa United and Akwa United) qualified for the continent this past season so we have to learn from their mistakes. We have seen our strengths and our weaknesses and will continue to work to become an even stronger unit.”
Skipper Festus Austin said the Super 4 triumph has given Rivers United hope.
“We may have lost a game (2-0 to Rangers), but in the end we won the trophy because we did not lose focus This is a good sign for us and we’re very happy for this,” he said.
“We are not yet a perfect team as we are still building, but we believe that the coming season will be a fruitful one for Rivers United. This is my first trophy with Rivers United and it has given me hope,” added new signing Nzube Anaezemba. -
Rivers United are Super Four champions
• The Pride of Rivers pip Flying Antelopes to title
Rivers United have been crowned the 2016 NPFL Super Four champions after Enugu Rangers and FC Ifeanyiubah could only settle for a draw yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The Pride of Rivers ended the tournament with six points while Enugu Rangers finished with five points but were unbeaten in three matches.
The Flying Antelopes drew first blood in the 49th minute through Godwin Aguda but the Anambra Warriors equalised in the 67th minute through Wasiu Jimoh, who capitalised on a defensive mix up to level the tie for the Nnewi side.
The Anambra Warriors made eight changes to their starting 11 with only goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Stephen Eze and Jimoh Oni surviving the massive purge to the playing personnel used by the Anambra Warriors to face Enugu Rangers in their last match of the NPFL Super Four in Enugu while the Flying Antelopes too named equally a changed side to the one that drew with Wikki Tourists on Friday.
The Nnewi side lost their opening two matches against Wikki Tourists and Rivers United and in their desperation to avoid a third consecutive loss they recalled most of their players that didn’t travel for the trip to Enugu because they reported late for pre-season.
Wasiu Jimoh, Tamen Medrano, Kojo Baaah and others made their first starts in the 2016 NPFL Super Four as a result of the purge which also claimed the head coach, Kenichi Yatsuhashi’s job.
The first half was keenly contested and the newly introduced players made Enugu Rangers sweat for every ball while FC Ifeanyiubah goalkeeper, Ezenwa was more busy making series of point blank saves to deny the Flying Antelopes who needed a win to be crowned the Super Four kings.
-
Okpako negotiates to join Rivers United
Former Nigeria U-20 star, Solomon Okpako has said he has negotiated a transfer to Rivers United after his last club, Warri Wolves were relegated.
“I have negotiated with Rivers United ahead of the 2017 season. But I am still hopeful to travel out any moment from now,” said the midfielder.
“The league I left in 2010 has improved tremendously in terms of play, officiating and above all the rate at which the club picked away points and wins is quite impressive. I am so glad that the league is coming up,” said the former Kano Pillars star.
Okpako has already had stints in Greece and South Africa before he returned last season to team up with Warri Wolves.
Okpako captained Nigeria to win the sub-regional WAFU Cup in 2008 with Ahmed Musa and Gbolahan Salami part of the team.
-
Eguma: Rivers United to tour Spain
Nigeria league runners-up, Rivers United are set to undertake a training tour of Spain by the middle of November and have already applied for their entry visas.
The tour of Spain for the 2017 CAF Champions League campaigners is in keeping with a promise by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
Rivers United coach Stanley Eguma, who is presently in Abuja for a CAF Licence A course, disclosed they are very much on course for the trip to Spain.
“The management of the team is preparing the team for a pre-season tour of Spain,” he said.
“We also have a series of friendly matches lined up at home and abroad.
“We have made contact in various African countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo for friendly matches in preparation for our continental competition.”
“We are resuming on Monday and after two weeks of training we will be heading to Spain to commence our pre-season tour.”
Coach Eguma confirmed they have signed several new players but would prefer not to make public their identities.
“We have made necessary contacts about the players we want to recruit to beef up our squad, but I would not mention their names for obvious reasons,” he said.
-
Sunshine ace, Dayo Ojo joins Rivers United
Sunshine Stars ace Dayo Ojo has agreed personal terms with Rivers United and is expected to shortly sign for ‘The Pride of Rivers’.
And already the all-action midfielder has been included on the squad that will undertake a training tour of Spain next month.
He is expected to be one of several top stars who are heading to the Port-Harcourt outfit, who will feature in next year’s CAF Champions League after they finished behind champions Enugu Rangers this past season.
Ojo packs bullet in his legs and he is comfortable on the ball. He now hopes to take up a fresh challenge with Rivers United.
-
Cooreman says Rivers United need to improve
Rivers United must improve ahead of next season’s CAF Champions League after they booked their ticket to represent Nigeria in the 2017 CAF Champions League.
“Based on what I saw from Rivers United against my club, Akwa United (on Sunday), there are many teams in Nigeria currently better than Rivers United.
“However, I have known the coach of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma for a very long time and if there is anybody to make this team stronger than it is, he is that man. He (Eguma) will decide who will stay in the team and who will leave (to make them stronger),” Maurice Cooreman told supersport.com.
The Pride of Rivers defeated Akwa United 2-1 on the final day of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season to emerge runners up behind eventual champions, Enugu Rangers.
-
Baleria dedicates Rivers United win to Ganaru
Kano Pillars chief coach Kabiru Baleria has dedicated their 1-0 win over Rivers United in the week 32 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to technical adviser Mohammed Baba Ganaru.
Baleria was in charge of Sai Masu Gida during Sunday’s game at the Sani Abacha Stadium in the absence of Ganaru who was in Maiduguri to visit his sick mother.
Gambo Mohammed’s close range finish was all Kano Pillars required to secure maximum three points in the match.
The veteran attacker swept home Adamu Mohammed’s low cross from the right in the 23rd minute after Rabiu Ali initiated the attacking move with an incisive pass.
In a chat with SportingLife, Baleria commended his boys for played according to game’s plans.
“It was a huge win for us and it was a collective effort. The boys were up to the task and we thank God for the victory. Agan, I want to dedicate this victory to coach Baba Ganaru. We pray to Almighty Allah to grant our mother a sound health. We can’t wait to have him back into the team,” Baleria said.
Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles assistant coach has redeemed its pledge of N50,000 to the team for goal scored against Rivers United.
-
Rivers United dim 3SC
Rivers United and FC IfeanyiUbah are through to the quarter-finals of this year’s Federation Cup after they went past Shooting Stars and Katsina United, respectively.
Rivers United eliminated Shooting Stars 3-2 on penalties after fulltime scores were 0-0.
Goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi saved two penalties for the Port Harcourt club to stay in hunt for the cup competition’s top prize.
In another Round of 16 clash, goals by Maduabuchi Okereke and Suleiman Mohammed for IfeanyiUbah saw off the threat posed by second division Katsina United.
Prime FC lost out to Warri Wolves 6-5 on penalties after 1-1 in regulation time.