Finidi George Calls For Squad Reinforcement After Rivers United Crash Out Of CAF Champions League

Rivers United head coach Finidi George has urged the club to strengthen its squad after a disappointing CAF Champions League campaign that ended with their elimination from Group A following a heavy home defeat to Egypt’s Pyramids FC.

The former Nigerian champions sit at the bottom of the group with just one point from five matches, having lost four games and drawn once. They have conceded ten goals and scored only twice.

Naija News reports that Rivers United’s exit was confirmed after a 4-1 loss to the defending champions, Pyramids, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. Despite taking an early lead through Stephen Manu, Rivers United were overwhelmed in the second half as the Egyptian side scored four unanswered goals to secure a dominant win.

Speaking after the match, Finidi acknowledged the gulf in quality and intensity, stressing the need for reinforcements if the club is to compete more effectively in future continental outings.

“Let us see how we can compete in the NPFL. If we win it, we will have time to prepare and to bring in a couple of players to strengthen the team. We have seen our lapses and we know we can do better next time,” Finidi said.

“For the players, this is a learning process. Now they have seen a different level of football. To match a team like this, we definitely have to step up and bring in a couple of players.”

Finidi dismissed claims that his side were simply unlucky, insisting Pyramids deserved their victory over the course of the match.

“What can I say? For me, it is quite difficult coming here and explaining what happened. I think we all saw it. They were better, far better in the second half. This is another level of football, another level of intensity. They were the better side today, and that is why they are the defending champions,” he said.

“It is easy to say the game could have gone our way, but if you look at it in the second half, they played better and all the chances fell to them.”

The coach pointed to a drop in decisiveness and defensive commitment after the halftime break as key factors behind the collapse.

“In the first half, we did well. I think we controlled the game and scored our goal. We did not give them much space. We pressed a little bit higher and forced them to play long balls,” he explained.

“In the second half, however, there was indecision. Where we were supposed to commit to a tackle, we did not do it. They were faster, and their players were able to run very easily. We tried to see how we could contain them in the second half, but it was difficult for the players.”

He added that the difference in experience and intensity ultimately told.

“This is another level of football. In the first half, you think you have control of the game, but in the second half they came out all guns blazing and we could not contain them. That is football. We lost to a very good team, especially in the second half where they had control over the forty-five minutes,” Finidi said.

Rivers United’s Champions League run has included defeats to Pyramids in Cairo, RS Berkane of Morocco and Power Dynamos of Zambia. Their only positive result remains a goalless draw away in Ndola. They will conclude their group campaign with a trip to Morocco to face RS Berkane on Saturday, playing for pride.

Despite their continental struggles, Rivers United remain joint top of the Nigeria Premier League (NPFL) table with four games in hand, keeping their domestic title hopes alive.