Head coach Finidi George has insisted that Rivers United F.C. remain firmly on course for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title despite their recent setback against Bayelsa United F.C..
The Pride of Rivers suffered a narrow defeat in the South-South derby on Sunday, but the former Super Eagles winger played down the significance of the result, stressing that the broader objective of the campaign remains unchanged.
Reacting after the match, Finidi suggested he would accept isolated setbacks if they ultimately lead to league glory.
“If losing to Bayelsa United will give us the league title, I’ll accept it,” he said rhetorically.
“Let’s lose to Bayelsa United and win the league.
“I’m not that worried about losing to Bayelsa United twice last season and twice this season.
“We know the purpose of our campaign this season is to win the league. It’s quite unfortunate that we lost today.”
Despite the disappointment, Rivers United remain in contention at the top end of the NPFL table. Finidi emphasized that sustained consistency across the entire season — rather than the outcome of individual fixtures — will determine who lifts the trophy at the end of the campaign.
With the title race intensifying, Rivers United will look to quickly regroup as they continue their pursuit of domestic supremacy.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
