Former Super Eagles coach Finidi George has led Nigerian Premier Football League club Rivers United to the group stage of the CAF Champions League, following a 3-1 win over Black Bulls of Mozambique on Saturday.
Rivers United welcomed Black Bulls to the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt for the second leg of their Champions League. But they had a disadvantage going into the tie, as they lost the first leg 1-0.
However, Finidi put out a solid team that did the job eventually. Goals from Wasiu Falolu, Maclyn Biokpo Jenewari, and Timothy Zachariah ensured that the game ended 3-1 to Rivers United.
That result meant that the tie ended 3-2 on aggregate, sealing Rivers United’s place in the group stage of the competition.
Finidi George Breaks Rotten NPFL Record
Finidi George’s success with Rivers United means that the club will be the first Nigerian side to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League since 2018.
The last Nigerian team to qualify for the group stage of the competition was Lobi Stars in 2018. This is a really big feat for the Finidi, as his ability has been questioned on numerous occasions, especially since he was sacked from his position as Super Eagles coach last year.
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Meanwhile, reigning NPFL champions, Remo Stars, will play the second leg of their qualifiers against South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday.
However, it is highly unlikely that they will qualify, as they lost the first leg 5-1 in Nigeria. Beating Mamelodi in South Africa would be one of the biggest heists in football history.
