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‘We Lost It in 20 Minutes’ — Olanrewaju Laments Rivers United’s CAF Champions League Exit
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.
The Kwankwassiyya Movement has revealed its next line of action following the omission of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, deputy governorship candidate in Kano State, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the final list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Kwankwaso and his principal, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, were omitted from the list published by INEC.
The NDC has since described the omission as an error, saying it is seeking a correction.
Speaking on Arise Television, Habibu Mohammed, spokesperson for the Kwankwassiyya Movement, said there was no apparent reason for the omission, adding that the movement would engage INEC to resolve the issue.
“It came as a shock because there had been no issue with INEC. Kwankwas, a former deputy governor, is registered with the NDC and met the stipulated deadline.
“Electoral provisions give candidates 14 days to seek redress if their names are omitted from the list. We will explore that opportunity and engage with INEC,” he said.
He added: “Actually, we believe there is no particular reason for the omission. INEC itself has not advanced any reason. We believe it may be an administrative error or something else because we do not have any pending judgment or court order.
“This is a man who has already served as a deputy governor, so we cannot even question his qualification. We also believe he was duly registered with the NDC within the stipulated period.
“Therefore, the omission came as a shock. However, in politics, we have seen many things, and we believe there are always ways to resolve issues. There is also a provision in the Electoral Act.
“If he is not on INEC’s list, I believe the Kwankwassiyya Movement, being law-abiding and committed to doing things the right way, will explore that opportunity and engage INEC. We are confident that the matter will be resolved because we see no reason why it should be otherwise.”
Kano guber: Kwankwassiyya reveals next line of action over disqualification of NDC candidate
Suspected bandits have killed a 28-year-old vigilante member, Goyok Jamok, in Magi Mbar village, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. on October 10, prompting troops of Sector 5, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), deployed in Mbar, to respond to the attack.
According to the sources, the troops arrived at the scene and found Jamok dead from gunshot wounds.
“The troops discovered that Jamok had been shot dead by the suspected kidnappers,” the sources said.
The assailants reportedly fled the scene after sighting the approaching troops, abandoning their mission.
The victim’s relatives later evacuated his remains for burial.
The sources said security personnel had launched efforts to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.
“The troops are making efforts to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects,” they added.
No further details were provided about the circumstances surrounding the killing or the identities of the suspected assailants.
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