Rivers United Sustains Nigeria’s CAF Champions League Ambitions with Narrow Win Over DR Congo’s Les Aigles
On Sunday, Rivers United kept Nigeria’s continental football dreams alive by overcoming DR Congo’s Les Aigles, securing their spot in the final qualifying round of the CAF Champions League, according to Soccernet.ng.
Guided by former Super Eagles star Finidi George, the Port Harcourt-based team clinched a 1-0 aggregate victory following a tense second-leg encounter at Uyo’s Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
The match’s pivotal moment came just before halftime when defender Stephen Manyo capitalized on a rebound after the opposing goalkeeper failed to clear a straightforward free-kick, delivering the decisive goal.
That moment of brilliance stood out in an otherwise cautious contest, with Rivers United focusing on safeguarding their slim lead to close out the game.
With this victory, the Pride of Rivers now await the winner between AC Léopards from Congo and Mozambique’s Black Bulls in the decisive qualifying round, bringing them one step closer to the group stages of Africa’s premier club tournament.
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Rivers United’s progress follows Remo Stars’ recent qualification after their triumph over Comoros’ US Zilimadjou during the weekend.
However, the day brought mixed emotions for Nigerian football.
Both Nigerian clubs competing in the CAF Confederation Cup were eliminated, highlighting the increasing challenges faced by teams outside the Champions League spotlight.
Abia Warriors bowed out after a narrow 1-0 defeat in Bamako against Mali’s Djoliba, culminating in a 2-1 aggregate loss.
Kwara United’s exit was even more disheartening. Despite netting three away goals in a chaotic first leg against Ghanaian powerhouse Asante Kotoko, the Harmony Boys needed only a modest victory at home in Abeokuta to advance. Instead, they squandered multiple opportunities and succumbed to a 54th-minute goal from Hubert Ayau.
Kwara United’s head coach, Tunde Sanni, expressed his frustration post-match.
“I am deeply disappointed with my players. They appeared to play without urgency, and this defeat is truly painful,” he confessed.
Conversely, Kotoko’s coach Karim Zito praised his team’s preparation and execution.
“We learned from our first-leg errors and implemented our strategy flawlessly,” he remarked following their 5-3 aggregate success.
With the departures of Abia Warriors and Kwara United, Nigeria will be unrepresented in this season’s Confederation Cup group phase. Consequently, Remo Stars and Rivers United remain the nation’s sole contenders in the CAF Champions League.
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