The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title race took a different turn in Yenagoa as Bayelsa United continued their recent dominance over Rivers United.
In a Matchday 28 encounter filled with regional pride, a single mistake proved to be the difference between the two South-South rivals.
Defensive Error Hands Bayelsa United Victory
The match started with high intensity, but the decisive moment arrived just 13 minutes into the contest.
A lapse in communication within the visitors’ backline resulted in an unfortunate own goal, handing the lead to the hosts.
While the “Pride of Rivers” controlled large portions of the play afterward, they were unable to breach a determined home defense.
This result marks a significant trend in the rivalry. The Restoration Boys have now secured four consecutive league wins against their neighbors across the last two seasons.
For the home side, the three points were vital, ending a difficult six-game winless streak and moving them up to 14th on the NPFL table.
Finidi George Focuses on the NPFL Title Race
Despite the setback, the visitors remain in a strong position for the league title. They currently sit in second place with 46 points and hold three crucial games in hand.
After the final whistle, head coach Finidi George reflected on his team’s effort and the missed opportunities in front of goal.
“Not a bad one, but it was not good enough. We’re here at least not to lose, you know. With the outstanding matches we have, it’s going to be hectic. Coming here and at least getting a point would have been a good result.
But I think my boys gave that fight in the first half; we created chances in the second half also, but we couldn’t take them. And when you concede that way, it becomes difficult. We have to accept it and move forward to the next game. That’s what we have to do,” he said.
When questioned about the “bogey team” tag that seems to follow matches against the Yenagoa-based club, Finidi remained focused on the bigger picture of the NPFL campaign.
“If losing to Bayelsa would give us the league, I would accept it. Let’s lose against Bayelsa and win the league. I’m not that worried about losing last season and this season to Bayelsa United.
We know the end purpose of our campaign is to win the league. It’s quite unfortunate that we lost today. If you look at the game, you know we were the better side.
But sometimes being the better side will not win you games. You have to score goals. It’s quite unfortunate. We have to go back, get the boys recovered properly and wait for El-Kanemi,” Finidi said.
The defeat leaves the Port Harcourt side looking to bounce back quickly as they prepare for their next fixture against El-Kanemi Warriors.
Meanwhile, the win gives the hosts a massive boost in their fight to climb further away from the relegation zone.