Rivers United head coach Finidi George has expressed disappointment after his side suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Mozambican outfit Black Bulls in the CAF Champions League preliminary round.
Speaking after the encounter, the former Super Eagles winger described the result as “unfortunate,” insisting that his players gave everything but were undone by their inability to convert key chances in front of goal.
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“It was an unfortunate result for us because we dominated for long spells,” Finidi said. “We played with purpose and created opportunities, but our finishing let us down. In football, if you don’t take your chances, you get punished — and that’s what happened today.”
Despite the defeat, Finidi praised his players’ effort and commitment throughout the game, noting that the team will bounce back stronger in the reverse fixture in Nigeria. He said the players are already refocusing their energy on correcting mistakes and turning the tie around at home.
“We still have a chance to make things right in Port Harcourt,” he continued. “We’ll analyse what went wrong, especially our decision-making in the final third, and prepare better for the return leg. The most important thing now is to keep believing.”
The Rivers United coach emphasized that while Black Bulls showed resilience and defensive organization, his team remains confident of overturning the deficit.
“We’ve been in this situation before,” Finidi added. “If we take our chances and play with intensity at home, qualification is still possible.”
Rivers United will host the second leg in Nigeria next weekend, hoping to advance to the next round of the continental competition and continue their quest for glory.
