Rivers United head coach Finidi George admitted his side must improve in front of goal despite securing a vital win over Barau FC in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
A late strike from Stephen Manyo sealed all three points at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, sending Rivers United to the top of the table.
Rivers United secure slim victory as Finidi George reflects on performance
Finidi praised his players’ display but acknowledged that the match should have been decided much earlier.
“I think it was a very good game from Rivers United, and the only thing that was lacking was a goal. We were looking for that goal; it was not easy. Like Enyimba did, they started wasting time, and the referee started giving cards. So, in the second half, we dominated the game and tried to push more, and the goal didn’t come till that last moment.
So, it’s a day to smile. Let me smile for once; it’s been a while. So, it’s a slim victory, but we’re quite happy we got to three points.”
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 85th minute. A well-worked short corner routine involving Wasiu Falolu and Issac Annor created space at the edge of the box.
Annor slipped a neat pass into the path of Manyo, whose first-time finish sparked wild celebrations inside the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
The result ended Barau FC’s seven-game unbeaten run and pushed Rivers United to the summit of the NPFL standings, while their opponents dropped to 13th place.
Finidi George concerned about scoring struggles despite Rivers United dominance
While the win was important, Finidi was clear that the bigger picture remains the team’s efficiency in attack.
“No, I think in the second half, they had that shot on goal; apart from that, it was Rivers all through. If we can go back to possession and chances created, if the game had ended 3-1, that would have been a good result; they would have accepted it.
But football being what it is, we will accept this victory and see how we can rest the boys properly for the weekend’s match against Bayelsa United.”
Rivers United controlled possession and created several openings but lacked a cutting edge. The coach admitted the issue has been consistent in the league this season.
“We keep working with the players; we do all the drills. But, yeah, come match day, we struggle. I can’t tell you the reason for our struggling, but that has been the trend in the league.
The top scorer is maybe on nine goals, you know, after 20-something games. So, if you want to look at it, it’s a difficult league as well, you know, so many factors. But, that notwithstanding, we should be scoring goals.
If you have, like, three or four chances, at least two should be goals. But, for today, I’m quite happy with the three points.”
Focus shifts to Bayelsa United clash
Attention now turns to their upcoming away fixture against Bayelsa United, a side that troubled Rivers United last season.
“It’s always a difficult match; last season we lost to them home and away. This time around, we’ll try to avoid that. I lost here; we’ll try to avoid losing over there in Bayelsa. We’ll see what happens, but the most important thing is to get the players to recover properly.
You know, this is a marathon; every three or four days we have a match.
So, the most important thing is the recovery of the players, and we try to get them ready mentally for the match.”
For Rivers United, the focus remains on maintaining momentum in the NPFL title race while addressing their scoring concerns.