By Wale Mustapha
Rivers United’s 27-man squad has officially departed for Cairo, Egypt, in preparation for their upcoming CAF Champions League group-stage clash against Pyramids FC.
The team left Lagos via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport after arriving from Port Harcourt on Tuesday to catch their connecting flight.
They are set to face the Egyptian giants at the June 30 Stadium on Saturday in what promises to be a crucial encounter.
This match marks a historic moment for Rivers United, as it is their debut in the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition.
The Nigerian side will be looking to make a strong statement against Pyramids, a team with significant continental pedigree.
Looking ahead, Rivers United will return home to Uyo for their next group-stage match, where they will face Moroccan side RS Berkane on Friday, 28 November.
With this being their first appearance at this stage of the competition, the players and officials are determined to build on their growing experience and make a mark in the CAF Champions League.
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.
