Rivers United Slip In Mozambique, Wikki Tourists Battle Injury Crisis

Rivers United will have to dig deep when they face Mozambique’s Black Bulls next week after falling 1-0 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round on Saturday.

It was a tight contest in Maputo, with both teams creating clear chances but failing to find the net in the opening half. The hosts eventually broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half when Moctar Diallo struck the decisive goal that separated both sides.

Rivers United will now return home to Uyo, where the reverse fixture is scheduled to hold next Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. The overall winners will earn a place in the lucrative group stage of Africa’s top club competition.

Rivers United’s defeat leaves them with all to play for in front of their fans, as coach Finidi George’s men look to bounce back from the narrow loss.

Nigeria’s other Champions League representative, Remo Stars, will take on South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns at the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta on Sunday.

Back home in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Wikki Tourists have been hit by a wave of injuries ahead of their away fixture against El-Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri.

The Bauchi side will be without five key players for the clash, Ahmed Lamido, Sadeeq Abdullahi, Nickson Ironsi, Muhammed Aliyu, and Uche Onwuansanya.

Lamido and Onwuansanya are down with illness, while Abdullahi, Ironsi, and Aliyu are nursing various injuries. The situation poses a big concern for coach Abdullah Maikaba, whose side is winless in their last five league outings.

Wikki Tourists will be desperate to end that poor run when they take on El-Kanemi Warriors on Sunday, with hopes that their available players can rise to the occasion despite the setbacks.

Source: Naijanews