NPFL: Nwagua, Bernard help Rivers overcome Bayelsa in ‘battle of Uniteds’

By Wale Mustapha

Captain Nyima Nwagua and Yao Bernard inspired Rivers United to a deserved 2-0 win over Bayelsa United in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League encounter in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

The 2021 champions have been engaged in the continental duels and Thursday’s encounter was to be decided before they will be involved in another CAF Confederation Cup engagement and they made the best of it.

After their early dominance, the Pride of Rivers find the breakthrough in the 10th minute when Nyima stab home a cut back pass from Deputy Echeta.

Bayelsa were close to restore parity soon after but their enterprising striker, Robert Mizo fired blank from close range.

Shaderack Asiegbu also had his chance to make it two for the hosts but he curled it wide after getting a through pass from Nyima.

The second half did not have much talking points as Bayelsa could not produced major threats on their hosts.

With five minutes to end the contest, Yao Bernard sealed the victory for the hosts as he reached to the end of a brilliant pass from Samuel Antwi.

The win takes Rivers to 10th on the log with 15 points from 10 games and still having three more outstanding games.