Rivers United Remain Top Despite Defeat In Kano

Rivers United Remain Top Despite Defeat In Kano

By Our Reporter 

Rivers United suffered a setback on the road as they surrendered an early advantage to fall 4–1 against Barau FC in their rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday Five fixture at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Port Harcourt-based side, popularly known as the Pride of Rivers, began the encounter brightly and were rewarded almost immediately. Osimaga Duke fired Rivers United into the lead inside five minutes with a powerful long-range strike that left Barau FC goalkeeper Yusuf Mohammed helpless.

Rivers United continued to dictate play in the opening exchanges, creating further chances to extend their advantage. Yusuf Mohammed was called into action again to deny Samson Obi following a well-worked move involving Emmanuel Nnaji, while Wasiu Falolu came close with a long-range effort that narrowly missed the target.

However, the momentum gradually swung in favour of the hosts, who found their footing midway through the first half. Barau FC drew level in the 25th minute when Usman Maidubji calmly converted from the penalty spot. The turnaround was completed just before the interval as Jimmy Ambrose struck to give the home side a 2–1 lead at halftime.

The second half proved even more challenging for Rivers United. Substitute Kabir Abdullahi made an immediate impact, extending Barau FC’s lead in the 64th minute before completing his brace eight minutes later with a well-executed counter-attacking finish.

The result brought an end to Rivers United’s impressive away run and marked a disappointing night for the league leaders. Despite the heavy defeat, the Garden City club remained top of the NPFL standings with 33 points from 17 matches, maintaining a two-point advantage over Nasarawa United.

Speaking after the match, assistant coach Yemi Olarenwaju, who took charge in the absence of head coach Finidi George due to bereavement, attributed the result largely to fatigue and a demanding travel schedule.

Olarenwaju insisted that Rivers United controlled large spells of the game but paid the price for tired legs, noting that the congested fixture list and extensive travel had taken a toll on the players. He emphasized that the defeat was part of the challenges of a long league campaign and urged the team to quickly move on.

Rivers United will now shift focus to their next NPFL fixture, travelling to Ilorin on Monday to face Katsina United, as they seek an immediate response and aim to consolidate their position at the top of the table.