Rivers United assistant coach Daniel Olanrewaju has admitted that his side effectively lost their CAF Champions League tie against FC San Pedro in the opening 20 minutes, despite producing a spirited comeback in the second leg in Uyo.

Sports247 reports that Rivers United were held to a 2-2 draw by the Ivorian side in the return leg, but the result was not enough to overturn the scoreline from the first encounter, as San Pedro progressed on aggregate with away goal rules.

Reflecting on the disappointing elimination, Olanrewaju acknowledged that his team expected a difficult contest but identified their early defensive lapses as the decisive moment in the tie.

“It’s a difficult game, we expected it. We lost the game after conceding two goals in the first 20 minutes,” Olanrewaju said.

According to the Rivers United assistant coach, conceding twice so early against a quality continental opponent left his side with an uphill task.

“I think that was where we lost it. In a continental game, it is not easy to bounce back,” he added.

Rivers United showed character in Uyo by fighting back to secure a 2-2 draw, but the comeback came too late to rescue their Champions League campaign.

Olanrewaju stressed that the intensity and tactical demands of continental football are significantly different from the domestic league, making it particularly difficult for a team to recover from an early setback.

“This isn’t NPFL,” he noted.

The coach also paid tribute to San Pedro, describing the Ivorian outfit as one of the strongest sides Rivers United have faced, both tactically and in terms of individual quality.

“This is one of the best sides, tactical and talent-wise. It’s unfortunate, honestly,” he said.

The elimination means Rivers United will now turn their attention to their domestic campaign while reflecting on the lessons from their continental experience.

For Olanrewaju and the Rivers United technical crew, the challenge will be to address the defensive lapses that proved costly against San Pedro and ensure the team can compete more effectively in future CAF competitions.

Despite their elimination, the comeback in Uyo demonstrated the resilience within the squad, but the early damage had already placed the Nigerian representatives in a difficult position.

For Rivers United, the continental campaign ended with disappointment, but the experience against a tactically accomplished San Pedro side could prove valuable as they continue their quest for success on both the domestic and continental fronts.