Nigeria Leagues
Finidi George lauds Rivers United’s resilient victory over Heartland
By Wale Mustapha
George Finidi, Technical Adviser of Rivers United, has praised his team for their resilience in securing their first victory of the season with a 3-1 triumph over Heartland in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday Two clash on Saturday.
The Pride of Rivers had to dig deep to overcome Heartland at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.
Kabir Abdullahi’s brace and a goal from new signing Taofeek Otaniyi ensured the win, with Christian Molokwu’s goal for Heartland serving only as a consolation.
Finidi acknowledged the effort and determination of his players, reflecting on the match’s key moments:
“It was a good game. We started with high intensity, but after our goal, the tempo dropped, and Heartland started to play. They managed to score, which made us quite upset. We had to motivate the team, especially for the second half.”
“The second half was ours; Heartland couldn’t do much apart from a few counter-attacks. We controlled the game and deserved the win. The team is practically new, so we’ve been working hard with the players both tactically and technically, and they are responding well,” Finidi said in his post-match briefing.
With this victory, Finidi and his team look forward to building on their performance as they continue their campaign in the NPFL.
