Rivers United head coach Finidi George has offered a candid assessment of his team’s 3–0 defeat to Egyptian giants Pyramids FC in their TotalEnergies CAF Champions’ League Group A opener on Sunday night in Cairo.
Rivers United matched their hosts for long spells in the first half, keeping the game balanced and limiting Pyramids’ attacking threats.
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But a collapse after the break highlighted by costly errors turned the contest firmly in favour of the Egyptians as winger Atef Ahmed completed 20 minutes second. half hat trick in 52nd, 57th and 72 minutes.
Speaking after the match, Finidi admitted that while his side started well, a lack of concentration and a decisive mistake early in the second half changed everything.
“We had good control of the ball in the first half and created one or two opportunities, even though the final pass wasn’t always good enough,” he said.
“We did well in the first half. But in the second half, their first goal came from a big mistake from our players. Against a team like this, once they score, their momentum grows.”
The opening goal unsettled Rivers United, who struggled to regain their rhythm. Pyramids capitalised quickly, scoring a second goal just minutes later.
“At that point we knew the game was slipping away,” Finidi continued. “A good first half, but the second half was not good at all. That was the difference.”
Despite the heavy defeat, Finidi reminded his players of their responsibility as Nigerian representative insisting that the team must respond strongly when they host their next Group A fixture.
“We know we are playing in the champions league and we have to show it,” he said. “It’s painful because the goals came from our own mistakes — defensively, we should have done better. But this one is gone. Now we must prepare the players mentally for the next match. It’s not a physical issue — it’s mental. We have to win at home.”
Finidi also stressed that the turning point came entirely from a lapse in concentration.
“The first half and second half were similar in terms of the game plan,” he noted. “What changed was concentration and a bit of fear. If we hadn’t made that mistake, the game would have gone longer and nobody knows what could have happened.”
With a crucial home match coming up next weekend, the coach says his immediate task is rebuilding confidence.
“We are in a difficult moment, but we have to talk to the boys and correct the issues. The next match is key. We have to win.”
Pyramids sit joint-top of Group A alongside RS Berkane side also won 3–0 against Power Dynamos on Saturday.
Pyramids FC will next face Zambia’s Power Dynamos on Saturday, 29 November, as the Group A fixtures continue while Rivers United will host RS Berkane.
