By Dayo Awoniyi
Kwara United continued their buildup to the CAF Confederation Cup with a hard-fought 1–0 win over Rivers United on Thursday in the ongoing ValueJet Preseason Tournament at the Remo Stars Stadium.
After a tightly contested first half, the breakthrough came in the 82nd minute when Gidado Toheeb capitalized on sustained pressure to net the decisive goal for the Harmony Boys.
The match doubled as a platform for several players to stake their claim for regular spots, with Mubarak Chara, Aliu Salaudeen, Moses Nyebe, and Ini Emmanuel all delivering standout performances marked by solid defensive work, intelligent link-up play, and composure under pressure—qualities essential for the rigors of continental football.
Kwara United head coach Tunde Sanni praised his side’s discipline and intensity but emphasized that the focus remains on long-term goals.
“We will continue to train hard as the league season approaches,” Sanni said post-match.
The win moves Kwara United to seven points from four matches in the tournament, following two victories, one draw, and one loss.
They are set to face Shooting Stars next as they continue fine-tuning both tactical cohesion and match sharpness ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup campaign.
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.
