CAF Champions League

JOURNEYMAN, TYAVKASE EYES CONTINENTAL GLORY WITH LOBI STARS

Published

7 years ago

March 5, 2019

Midfielder David Tyavkase says winning yet another CAF Champions League title with Lobi Stars would be a far greater satisfaction than his glorious days with Enyimba.

The 34-year-old, a veteran on the Nigerian domestic scene, was also an important member of the Enyimba squad that won successive CAF Champions League titles in 2003 and 2004 as well as the CAF Super Cup in 2004 and 2005.

At the twilight of his career, Tyavkase has yet to show signs of a spent force, and he is an integral part of Lobi Stars, back in the group stage for the first time since 2000. His experience and trophy-laden days with Enyimba which saw him annex four league titles (2003, 2005, 2007, 2010) and two FA Cup trophies (2005, 2009) has been the tool driving his quest for continental glory with the Makurdi-based club.

“Winning titles was a routine when I was at Enyimba but winning the league last year with Lobi Stars and qualification to play in the CAF Champions League, really made me very happy. It was the first time I was getting something with a team from my hometown and it was my fifth league title. Winning with Lobi Stars was special; it offered me fresh opportunities because I want to keep on playing football as long as I can.

“I hail from Gboko in Benue State (Middle Belt regional zone of Nigeria) and the two clubs that I grew up to know was BCC Lions of Gboko and Lobi Stars of Makurdi; so it’s a great honour for me to play in the CAF Champions League with a team from my state of origin,” said Tyavkase whose middle name, Terzungwe means ‘God is merciful’ in his Tiv dialect.

Officially, this season marks Tyavkase’s 17th year as a professional player and beside stints with Gabonese duo, CF Mounana and US Bitam, he also played for Nigerian sides including defunct Gabros (now known as FC Ifeanyi Ubah) and Heartland.

His first spell with Enyimba lasted between 2003 and 2007 when the club became a dominant force on the continent. He bolted away to Lobi Stars where he spent a year before returning to Enyimba for another two years, 2009 and 2011. He was briefly at Heartland before his expedition to Gabon and only detoured to Lobi Stars in 2016.

“I started with Gabros in the 2001/ 2002 season, and then to Enyimba in 2003. I was lucky to have started my career early at the top level with players who were far ahead of me in terms of age and experience,” he explained.

After four rounds of matches, Lobi sit at the bottom of Group A tied on four points with Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas. South Africa’s Mamelofi Sundowns and Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco share top spot on seven points apiece.

However, Tyavkase believes Lobi Stars can still progress to the quarters, adding the penultimate tie away to Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria is crucial to their aspirations.

“Lobi Stars have only four points now and we need all the three points in our next game against Mamelodi Sundowns to be in contention for the quarter finals. There is nothing impossible in football and we are seriously working towards getting a very good result away in Pretoria,” said Tyavkase, who has no immediate plans of hanging his boots.

“I want to keep on playing as long as I can; I can’t say this is when I want to quit playing football. I’m still very strong; I will stop playing football the day I can no longer kick the ball,” the 34-year old concluded.

– Cafonline

CAF Champions League

VIDEO: Rivers United Defeat Sparks Controversy as Ex-Rivers Sports Commissioner Chris Green Alleges Foul Play

Published

1 day ago

November 29, 2025

Kunle Solaja

By Kunle Solaja.

Rivers State Sports Commissioner and ex–NFF Technical Committee Chairman, Chris Green, has raised serious concerns over the officiating in Rivers United’s 2–1 loss to Moroccan giants RS Berkane in Friday’s CAF Champions League Matchday 2 clash in Uyo.

Rivers United appeared to be cruising to victory after taking a 1–0 lead and holding firm deep into stoppage time.

But the match took a dramatic and chaotic turn right at the end of the initially announced seven minutes of added time.

On exactly the seventh minute of added time, RS Berkane’s Youness El Kaabi struck from a free kick to level the score, stunning the home crowd.

Barely two minutes later — with fans still reeling — Mounir Chouiar pounced on a rebound off the post and rolled the ball into an empty net to seal a shock 2–1 win for the Moroccan visitors.

For Rivers United, the collapse was as sudden as it was painful.

Green Questions Added Time, Accuses Referee of Poor Handling

Speaking in a telephone interview with Sports Village Square, Green expressed disbelief at the seven minutes of stoppage time awarded, insisting it did not reflect the actual delays in the second half.

“I don’t know where the referee got seven minutes from. The stoppages in the second half were nowhere near that,” he said.

Green also criticised Senegalese referee Issa Sy, accusing him of mishandling the game, pointing in particular to a disallowed first-half goal from a corner kick that had initially put Rivers United ahead.

The disallowed Rivers United goal in the first half.

While Rivers United now face an uphill task in their CAF Champions League campaign, Green’s allegations add yet another layer to the growing debate over officiating standards in CAF competitions.

As emotions run high in Port Harcourt, the club and its supporters will be looking for answers — and hoping Friday’s heartbreak does not derail their continental ambitions.

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CAF Champions League

Rivers United Plunged into Bizarre Water Fall At Home

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2025

Kunle Solaja

From what looked an imminent victory over the visiting Moroccan side, RS Berkane, Rivers United suddenly plunged into a 2-1 loss in the match day 2 of the CAF Champions League.

Rivers United had taken the lead in the 38^th minute when a Berkane defender and Senegalese import, Mamadou Lamine Camara cleared the ball into his own net. Rivers United held on tenaciously to the lone goal till the regulation time.

Then came a seven-minute added time. Rivers United did everything to wind down the time leading to an additional three minutes which proved suicidal.

Youness El Kaabi pounced on a loose ball from a free kick in the seventh minute of the added time to draw level for the Moroccans.

Before the Rivers United could recover from the shock, Berkane scored the winner through Mounir Chouiar after an initial strike hit the goal post.

With the result, Rivers United flowed into the backwaters of the Group A table.

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CAF Champions League

Rivers United Target Strong Response as CAF Champions League Matchday 2 Kicks Off

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2025

Kunle Solaja

CAF Focuses On Rivers United, Nigeria's Last Hope In Confederation Cup -

Nigeria’s remaining hopeful in the CAF Champions League, Rivers United, return to action this Friday determined to revive their Group A campaign when they face Moroccan giants RS Berkane at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.

Matchday 2 of the group stage begins this weekend with 16 clubs continuing their push for a place in the knockout rounds.

After falling 3–0 to holders Pyramids FC in Cairo last week, Rivers United know that anything short of a strong home performance could derail their ambitions early.

Head coach Finidi George acknowledged in a statement on CAFonline that there is pressure on his side but insisted the players are mentally ready to deliver.

“We owe it to our fans to rise up to the occasion and get a result against RS Berkane,” Finidi said.
“We did well for 50 minutes against Pyramids and then lost concentration. We cannot afford to do that tomorrow(this Friday). We have the players that can get the job done and I believe they will step up.”

Midfielder Temple Emekayi echoed his coach’s determination, admitting that playing home matches away from their traditional base in Port Harcourt has been far from ideal.

“Although we would have been happier playing in front of our own fans in Port Harcourt, this is a situation beyond us and we just have to make the best of it,” Emekayi said.

“It is incumbent on us, the players, to rise from the defeat to Pyramids in Cairo and get a good result against RS Berkane. We will go in there and give our very best.”

Despite opening their campaign with a confident win over Power Dynamos, RS Berkane coach Mounie Chaabani insists his side will not underestimate Rivers United.

“Against Power Dynamos, we showed discipline and focus and were able to score the goals that we needed,” he said.

“Tomorrow (this Friday) against Rivers United, it will be difficult because they are a disciplined team as well. We will not underrate them at all. Our goal is to play our game and get a result here. It will be difficult but not impossible.”

Midfielder Rayan Aabid added that the team is unfazed by playing in Uyo for the first time.

“The fact that this is the first time we are playing on the pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium is not a challenge,” he said.
“We respect Rivers United because they have been consistent in Africa over the past few years, but we will play our normal game and we believe that will be good enough to get us a result.”

With Pyramids and RS Berkane already showing strong early form, Rivers United must avoid a second consecutive defeat to stay in contention for a top-two finish.

Friday’s clash in Uyo promises intensity, pressure, and a huge opportunity for the Nigerians to ignite their CAF Champions League campaign and keep their knockout hopes alive.

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