Connect with us

Nigerian Football

Rivers Hope To Win Without Eguma

Published

on

BY SAMMY WEJINYA.

This is the most trying period in the history of Rivers United FC. Technical manager, Stanley Eguma, is currently serving a one-match suspension while results on the pitch have been far from positive.

The ‘Pride of Rivers’ have yet to win in their last four games in all competitions and the alarm bells are well and truly ringing.

On Sunday, stars of the Port Harcourt club will attempt to hit positive notes when they file out against Gombe United at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) enters match day 17.

Draws away from home are usually celebrated in the NPFL but the boys from Port Harcourt know that a point on Sunday may not be enough to assuage the smitten emotions of the teeming faithful.

Advertisement

Head coach of Rivers United, Willy Udube, knows this well and acknowledges that while a win in Gombe would be extremely difficult, it is a possibility his charges will be looking to exploit.

“The technical manager (Eguma) was given a one-match suspension but we have been able to steady (the ship) by making the players understand that (such things) can always happen in football.

“It has happened and we have to move on. We want to get all three points (against Gombe United) but football is not mathematics.

“I strongly believe that we will go home with something to make our fans happy.

“As I am talking to you now, the spirit is very very high,” Udube told the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.

Advertisement

Saying the right things before big games is almost a pre-requisite for trainers but beating Gombe United at the Pantami is easier said than done.

There are no star turns at Gombe United as experienced tactician, Manu Garba, the club’s technical supremo is known to prefer graft over the spectacular.

Alhassan Yusuf, Maurice Chigozie, Akeem Balogun, Isaac Giwa, Bilya Yarma, Idris Bakare, Mannir Ubale and Sadiq Shuaibu are not names that easily roll off the tongue but wily gaffer, Garba has integrated these unheralded talent into an almost impregnable and extremely-cohesive unit.

Garba’s assistant, Hassan Abubakar is ultra-confident in his side’s chances of securing maximum points against last season’s NPFL runners up.

“I know we will win on Sunday because we have prepared very well for this game against Rivers United.

Advertisement

“They may not be doing too well this season but they are a good team with very good players.

“We drew our last game away from home against ABS FC so confidence is very high amongst our players,” he said.

 

The newly-promoted Gombe United will be keen to avoid any slip ups to prevent the drama of a relegation dogfight in the coming days while Rivers United know that defeat is almost non-negotiable.

A compelling and intriguing contest awaits on Sunday.

Advertisement

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement