Rivers United’s defeat to Pyramid FC brought an end to what should have been good run as expected by Nigerians.
Rivers United have only secured one point from 15 possible points from a draw with a Zimbabwean team. Being the first to make if to the CAF Champions League grouping in more than 6 years now, they carried the hope for Nigerian football in continental representation.
However, although they have struggled throughout the competition, there was still hope, though slim, that they could make it to the quarter finals after a 1-0 defeat from the Dynamos last week.
Unfortunately, this hope was crushed after they suffered a heavy defeat of 4-1 to the Egyptian Pyramids in a home game at God’s will Akpabio Stadium.
Many Nigerians became disappointed because making it to CAF Champions League’s grouping brought them hope but the hope was lost yesterday.
This is the first time in seven seasons where the Nigerian team gets to this point, however, it was short lived.
While getting to this stage is commendable, analysis of the elimination raises some questions about the preparedness of the Nigerian team in continental games.
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Rivers United’s Defeat: Analyzing Rivers United Elimination
What went wrong?
From the opening of the game, it was obvious that Pyramids FC played with tactical defense but Rivers United struggled to coordinate themselves. Their performance however, was not terrible in the first half of the game.
Stephen Manyo initially led the game with his first goal in the 33rd minute from a direct free kick. This is the second goal scored by the team since the season began. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t maintain the lead after the first half.
The Egyptian Pyramids who seemed to be trailing in the first half, picked up in the second half and began to lead the game. A tactical turnover in display!
After the first half, Pyramid FC dominated the midfield making it tough for Rivers United to cover the defence nor provide some support for the attack.
After Mostafa equalised in the 52nd minute, the breakthrough for the Pyramids arrived in the 77th minute when a handball inside the penalty area presented them a chance to take the lead.
They took the lead without turning back. In the 88th minute, Odeh scored his first goal for Pyramids FC and by the 91st minute, Nasser Maher scored the 4th goal, sealing the game with a dominant 4-1 win.
What could be the contributing factors to the elimination?
Inexperienced players
The players were inexperienced as compared to their opponents. This is the first time since 2018 a Nigerian team gets to CAF Champions League grouping. They were playing against professional players from other countries who have been representing their countries for many years.
Lack of professionalism and structure
The absence of professionalism and institutional structure often results in the high turnover of players. Each season, players in the squad are either dropped or replaced. This hinders the chance for adaptation and also weakens team cohesion.
Poor defence
Their defensive weakness was very obvious in the match especially in the second half. It also revealed their poor positioning and lack of coordination between centre and full-backs.
Their backline was constantly exposed. This was a weakness which Pyramids FC leveraged on to cause them more disorganisation.
Rivers United’s Defeat: A Disappointing End
Rivers United FC struggled throughout the entire game even from the very first match they played. Out of the five matches they played, they had the possibility of 15 points.
However, having lost foúr games, had one draw, conceding ten goals and scoring just two, they only secured one point. What a disappointing run!
This has shown the unpreparedness of the Nigerian team to compete with other players in the continent. This defeat highlights the requirements for good performance in both NPFL and CAF Champions League.
While they are at the top in NPFL, even rated among the best, in CAF Champions League, they are at the bottom. Their being the leader at home could not influence their leading the game when faced with elite continental players.
This says a lot about their training and it’s sufficiency for continental competitions.
However, despite their elimination, they sit atop the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) where they outperform most of the other teams.
Also Read: Rivers United in CAF Champions League: A Fumbling Shining Star
