Confederation Cup: Eguma Says Rivers United Won’t Underrate Young Africans

Stanley Eguma, the coach of Nigerian professional football league club, River United, has stressed that his team won’t underrate Tanzanian team Young Africans during their clash on Sunday.

Rivers United will host Young Africans, also known as Yanga in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals on Sunday in Uyo.

Note that Rivers United, the reigning NPFL champions, are the only Nigerian side competing in the tournament this season.

Since the commencement of the Confederation Cup, no Nigerian club has made it to the final. Hence, Rivers United could be the first Nigerian team to do so this season if they can overcome all the hurdles to the final including home and away encounters with Yanga.

In the first preliminary round meeting between the two clubs in the CAF Champions League in 2021, Rivers United defeated the Tanzania team. Hence, it is expected to be an easy fixture for the Nigerian side but Rivers Uy coach Eguma does not want to be so excited.

Ahead of the Confederation Cup game, the coach said, “We are not relying on past performances because no two games are the same and we know Yanga have improved a lot since the last time we met. They are doing better in their domestic league and they also topped their group in this competition.

“We are coming with renewed vigor and we are trying to push ourselves to do more than what we did the last time and brush them off our way. We are coming with a mentality that is needed to face a strong team in the competition.”

After the first leg of the Confederation Cup quarter-finals clash in Uyo, Rivers United will travel to Dar es Salaam on Sunday, April 30 for the return leg. The winner of the 2-legged affair will face either the Pyramids of Egypt or the Marumo Gallants of South Africa in the semi-finals.