NPFL: After Defeat at Aba, Finidi Rallies Enyimba for Kano Pillars

Fisayo Dairo

On a day goals were few and far between in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Ishaq Rafiu’s 51st minute strike from 25 yards proved decisive for the Rivers United in inflicting the first loss of the campaign on Enyimba under new coach Finidi George.

The in-form attacker Rafiu netted a sublime effort early in the second half to give Pride of Rivers a shock 0-1 win away to arch rivals Enyimba on Wednesday.

But George had some explanation for his team’s performance in the loss and emphasised that their focus is already turned to the next game.

“Our aim is to look at the next game. This is a disappointing result for us at home and I think the boys will not be down and we will go out there to fight,” said George.

It was his third league game in charge of Enyimba, having won the two previous fixtures against Abia Warriors and Rangers International respectively

On the performance, the former Super Eagles winger, had this to say; “I’ve always said that we’re not going to win every game and I think that all through we didn’t play our football. We played too many long balls which is not the way we play and I think that affected us.

“We lost a couple of balls in midfield and that gave them the strength to push so I think we should do better on it and we will work on it. We will see how we can go to Kaduna and get a victory”, he concluded

Enyimba had secured a priceless away win over Rangers International in Nnewi on Sunday and had hoped to make it three wins out of three in the league but met a sharper, hungrier and more determined side in Stanley Eguma’s Rivers United.

The game also marked a return to Aba for former Enyimba Head Coach, Fatai Osho, who left the club at the end of last season to take up an assistant role at Rivers United. Indeed, Osho’s imprint was very evident in Rivers United’s display on Wednesday.

Rivers United will now return home to face Sunshine Stars on Sunday in MatchDay 4 while Enyimba make a long trip to Kaduna to face Kano Pillars.