By Wale Mustapha
Rivers United head coach Finidi George remains confident that his side can secure a CAF Champions League spot as the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) heads into its final round of fixtures this weekend.
The Pride of Rivers sit second on the NPFL table with 61 points after 37 matches, just one point ahead of third-placed Abia Warriors.
Finidi’s side will host Nasarawa United at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt on Sunday, knowing that a win will guarantee them a second-place finish and qualification for the 2025 CAF Champions League.
Meanwhile, Abia Warriors—also in contention—travel to Lagos for a decisive clash against Ikorodu City. If Rivers United drop points, they will rely on Abia Warriors failing to win to retain their Champions League berth.
Despite the tight race, Finidi remains upbeat about his team’s chances.
“We are still in a good place, and we are not under any pressure heading to the match,” he told the club’s media. “We have our last match at home, and if we win that one, we will get that second place.”
New NPFL champions Remo Stars and the league runners-up will qualify for the CAF Champions League, while the third-placed team and the Federation Cup winner will earn places in the CAF Confederation Cup.
All eyes will be on Sunday’s final fixtures, as the continental qualification picture reaches its dramatic conclusion.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
