TheNewsGuru

Tag: RIvers United

  • NPFL: Why we appointed Finidi George as our new head coach – Rivers United

    NPFL: Why we appointed Finidi George as our new head coach – Rivers United

    Nigeria Professional Football League clubside, Rivers United have stated the reason behind the decision to appoint Finidi George as their new head coach.

    Finidi who coached Enyimba for a period of two years before his stint with the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Wednesday penned his contract at the club’s secretariat in Port Harcourt.

    However, Rivers United have noted that the gaffer’s experience and expertise endeared him to the club.

    “Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” reads a statement on the club’s official website

    “As a coach, Finidi has demonstrated his ability to lead teams to success, and we are confident that he will bring his expertise and passion to our club. We are excited to have him on board and look forward to a successful tenure under his leadership.”

    Finidi will be presented to the media and club supporters at the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, on Thursday.

  • NPFL: Finidi George unveiled by Rivers United in Port Harcourt

    NPFL: Finidi George unveiled by Rivers United in Port Harcourt

    Rivers United of Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening unveiled former Super Eagles head coach Finidi George  as their manager ahead of next season.

    The unveiling ceremony took place at Rivers United’s secretariat in Port Harcourt.

    George has gotten a new job few weeks after leaving his position as the substantive coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    It would be recalled that Rivers United sacked long-serving tactician Stanley Eguma towards the end of last season due to poor results.

    The Port Harcourt club finished in disappointing eighth position in the NPFL last season.

    George  previously worked in the NPFL with nine-time champions Enyimba FC of Aba where he won the league with the team in the 2022/23 season.

     

     

  • NPFL: Finidi George to be unveiled as Rivers United coach today

    NPFL: Finidi George to be unveiled as Rivers United coach today

    Nigeria Professional Football League clubside, Rivers United will be unveiling  their new head coach, Finidi George, today in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital.

    It would be recalled that the 54-year-old has been penciled down to take over the reign at the former Nigeria Premier Football League champions following Stanley Eguma’s sacking towards the end of last season.

    The unveiling ceremony will hold at Rivers United’s secretariat in Port Harcourt.

    The ex-Super Eagles player and Coach will be  returning to the dugout few weeks after quitting his position as the substantive coach of the Nigeria senior men  national team

    The former Ajax winger managed nine-time NPFL champions, Enyimba for three years before moving up to coach the Super Eagles.

    Finidi masterminded Enyimba’s title success in the 2022/23 season.

    Rivers United finished in a disappointing eighth position in the NPFL last term.

  • NPFL: Sunshine stars compound Rivers United woes in Akure

    NPFL: Sunshine stars compound Rivers United woes in Akure

    The result meant that the Akure Arsenala climbed to 17th position on the NPFL log.

    The game  ended goalless in  the first half with the home team missing so many scoring chances, with a goal by midfielder,Promise Awosanmi ruled out  for offside.

    Ibrahim Yusuf gave the home team the lead in the 68th minute of the encounter.

    Sunshine Stars Coach, Kennedy Boboye in a post match interview,  commended his players for playing to his game plan.

    “This game has come and gone, our focus now is on the next game which is the federation cup, after that, we will be playing host to Bendel insurance FC.

    “Our focus is to win our home matches and see how we will get something outside. Our major problem is how to be scoring goals, but we will continue working to improve in that area,” he said.

    Also speaking, Rivers United Head Coach, Evans Ogenyi,said his side lost the game to fatigue, noting that his team’s fixtures had not been easy.

    “It has not been easy, but we have been compelled to play five matches in 15 days,we have no choice than to play.

    “Nevertheless, We are approaching every game with all sense of seriousness and determination this one has come and gone,” he said.

  • NPFL: Rivers United fires coach Stanley Eguma

    NPFL: Rivers United fires coach Stanley Eguma

    Nigeria Premier Football League side, Rivers United have relived Stanley Eguma of his duties as the coach of the side.

    Eguma was sacked by the club immediately after Rivers United’s 2-1 defeat to Remo Stars last Sunday.

    The manager was given an Ultimatum to to win the game against Sky Blue Stars but he didn’t meet up.

    He left the Port Harcourt club in 13th position.

    His assistant Evan Ogenyi took charge of the team in the 0-0 draw against Kwara United on Thursday.

    Eguma, nicknamed ‘Capelo’, guided the club to the 2021 NPFL title win, and equally led the Pride of Rivers to second place finish in the 2016 domestic top flight, their first in the NPFL after sponsors, Rivers State Government merged Sharks FC and Dolphins FC to form what’s today known as Rivers United FC.

  • CAF CC: Rivers United crash out after losing 2-1 on aggregate to USM Alger

    CAF CC: Rivers United crash out after losing 2-1 on aggregate to USM Alger

    CAF Confederation Cup, defending champion kept their hopes of retaining the title alive by securing the semi-final ticket of the competition after defeating Rivers United 2-1 on aggregate.

    The Algerian side lost the first leg 1-0 in Uyo last weekend but were able to score a goal each in both halves to send the only surviving Nigerian side in CAF competition this season packing.

    Malian striker, Abdullah Kanou, scored both goals for USM Alger that secured the valuable victory that for his team, allowing them to reach the semi-finals for the second consecutive time.

    USM Alger started the match strongly, aiming to open the scoring, but they were unable to do so until the 37th minute when Kanou opened the scoring from close range.

    The second half saw a significant increase in USM Alger’s attacking movements, hoping to extend their lead, but the play became more centralized in the midfield.

    Rivers United came close to equalizing, but Andy Ogbai’s header hit the crossbar of the Algerian goalkeeper, Osama Ben Boute, in the 72nd minute.

    Kanou struck again in the 74th minute, securing the second goal that guaranteed the defending champions’ qualification to the semi-finals.

    USM Alger will face Moroccan club Berkane in the semi-finals later on this month.

  • CAF CC: Rivers United can scale USM Alger’s hurdle – Ikhana

    CAF CC: Rivers United can scale USM Alger’s hurdle – Ikhana

    Former Enyimba manager and CAF Champions League-winning coach, Kadiri Ikhana, has posited advised Rivers United to overlook home crowd and play to their strength against USM Alger in Sunday’s CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final second leg at Stade du 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Augustine Okejepha’s 10th-minute goal in the first leg at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sunday made the difference when both sides clashed in Uyo last week.

    Despite the slim margin,  Ikhana, who guided Enyimba to the Champions League title in 2003, the first by a Nigerian club side, reckons Stanley Eguma’s team already has the upper hand and can secure a desirable result if they stick to their game plan, like they did in the first leg.

    “Rivers United already have the upper hand to scale through if every member of the playing team gets it right like they did in Uyo. They should play against the so-called home advantage with every strength in them, and I’m sure they can scale through the tight situation,” the 72-year-old gaffer said.

    The match is scheduled to take place by 8pm Nigerian time in Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

    USM Alger are the defending champions of the competition.

     

  • CAF CC: Rivers United depart Port Harcourt for second leg tie against USM Alger

    CAF CC: Rivers United depart Port Harcourt for second leg tie against USM Alger

    Port Harcourt based club side, Rivers United yesterday departed the country for their CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal second leg clash against USM Alger of Algeria.

    It was gathered that the Pride of Rivers left Port Harcourt International Airport aboard an Air Peace flight to Lagos before connecting with a direct flight to Algiers on Thursday.

    The contingent, which consists of players and officials, is expected to arrive in Algeria on Friday.

    The second leg encounter is billed to take place at the Stade du Julliet on Sunday, April 7, 2024.

    The match is billed to kick off at 8 pm local time in Algiers.

    The defending champions trail lost to United -0 in the first leg last Sunday.

    It would be recalled that Rivers United crashed out of the CAF confederation cup at the Quarter-final stage.

  • CAF CC: Algerian side, USM Alger lodge complain to CAF over timing ahead Rivers United clash in Uyo

    CAF CC: Algerian side, USM Alger lodge complain to CAF over timing ahead Rivers United clash in Uyo

    USM Alger of Algeria have lodged a complaint to the Confederation of African Football over the timing of
    of their CAF Confederation quarter-final clash with Rivers United.

    The match has been fixed for 2pm at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo this Sunday.

    The defender champions are not comfortable with the timing of the game.

    According to them, they want the timing of the game shifted due to ongoing Ramadan fasting.

    It would be recalled that the game was moved from 5pm to 2pm by CAF this week.

    The statement reads “The management of our team, received a letter from CAF, which includes the change of time of our team’s match against Rivers Nigeria for the CAF Quarterfinals, from 17:00 to 14:00 at the request of Rivers FC.

    “Therefore, we inform our audience that the administration of the Union of Capital has officially sent a message to the Confederation of African Football, intending to override the decision of programming the timing of this match taking into account the fasting factor approved by “CAF” in the draw of the quarter-finals of the CAF Cup.”

  • CAF Confed Cup: Rivers United draw USM Alger in quarter-final fixture

    CAF Confed Cup: Rivers United draw USM Alger in quarter-final fixture

    Nigeria’s only representative in this season’s CAF Competitions, Rivers United have been handed a tough quarter-final fixture against title-holders USM Alger of Algeria.

    The quarter-final draws was held in Cairo Egypt on Tuesday afternoon.

    The Port Harcourt outfit hope to become the first Nigerian winners of an African competition since Enyimba defeated Hearts of Oak 2-0 after extra time to lift the 2005 CAF Super Cup.

    The Port Harcourt based side, won all it home group games but managed just one victory away  losing two games and  drawing.

    Dreams of Ghana, who topped a group in which Rivers finished runners-up, meet Stade Malien of Mali in a west African affair.

    Modern Future face Zamalek in an Egyptian derby while Abu Salim of Libya take on Renaissance Berkane of Morocco in a north African showdown.

    Berkane twice, USM, Malien and Zamalek have won the Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

    Dreams and Salim qualified for the quarter-finals at the first attempt in a competition dominated by north African clubs with 15 victories in 20 finals.

    That trend could continue with Zamalek, Berkane and USM looking the strongest of the eight survivors.

    Berkane, the 2020 and 2022 winners, boast the only unbeaten record among the title hopefuls with five victories and three draws from qualifying and group games.

    Rivers have reached the quarter-finals for the second straight season.