Rivers United technical adviser, Finidi George, has pointed to a defensive mistake as the reason behind his team’s 1-1 draw against Akwa United in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) encounter on Wednesday. The match, played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, saw the Pride of Rivers fail to secure all three points despite putting up a strong performance.
Speaking after the game, Finidi expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall display but lamented the defensive slip that allowed Akwa United to equalize. According to him, the team had played well enough to secure a victory but was undone by a momentary lapse at the back.
“I thought we would have won it, but it didn’t happen. I think the players did well; just a slight mistake defensively, and they got that equalizer,” Finidi said while speaking to the club’s media team.
Despite the disappointment of not securing maximum points, the former Super Eagles winger commended his players for their resilience, particularly after being reduced to ten men. He noted that the team still created chances to score the winning goal but failed to convert them.
“But I think in the second half, we had another opportunity where I thought the striker could have shot better. It didn’t happen, so at the end of the day, playing with one man less, we could manage the game and we got that one point,” he added.
Finidi acknowledged that while he had hoped for a victory, the draw was a fair result considering the circumstances of the game. He maintained that his team deserved credit for their performance and would now shift focus to their next fixture.
“I am quite happy, even though I wanted the three points. Looking at the way everything unfolded, I think it’s a well-deserved point,” he concluded.
Rivers United, who are aiming to challenge for the NPFL title this season, will be looking to address their defensive concerns as they prepare for their upcoming matches.