Rivers United head coach Finidi George has praised his players' spirit after they beat newly crowned Nigeria Premier Football League champions Rangers International 3-2 in an exciting President Federation Cup Round of 32 match. This game was expected to be like a final before the final.
The match brought together two teams that fought hard for the NPFL title until the last day of the season. Rangers won the title by just one point, leaving Rivers United heartbroken.
Still feeling the sting of that close defeat, Rivers United bounced back strongly. They kicked Rangers out of the Federation Cup and kept their dreams of winning a trophy alive.
After the thrilling match, Finidi shared his happiness about the result and his team's performance, especially their strong first half.
"We started the game well. We are happy with the victory in the first place. The first half was very, very good," Finidi told reporters.
"We scored two goals. In the second half, I told them to at least keep the ball properly, defend well, and see how, after 20 minutes, the game will slow down. But yes, Rangers came back and they scored two goals."
After taking charge of the game early, Rivers United had to fight hard as Rangers made a strong comeback, turning the game into a tense affair in the final moments.
"It was a little bit scrappy in the last 10 minutes. At the end of the day, we got that victory. We are happy with it," Finidi added.
"We are up next in the round of 16. We are happy with it and we will keep pushing to see where we end up."
The turning point came from substitute Handsome Surveyor, whose late goal was enough to send Rivers United into the next round.
Finidi revealed that the coaching staff believed in the forward's ability to change the game, which led to his introduction.
"We knew he has that luck as well," the former Super Eagles player said.
"That's why we brought him in. At the end of the day, he got that goal for us, the winner. We are quite happy. We will keep encouraging him to see how he can help us as well."
This winning goal not only secured their spot in the next round but also gave Rivers United a chance to get back at the team that denied them the league title just days before.
Having faced one of the toughest matches at this stage, Rivers United will now focus on their Round of 16 game against Nasarawa United.
The Solid Miners had an easier path to the next round after advancing without playing, as Osun State-based Ejigbo City failed to show up for their match.
With Rangers out of the competition, Rivers United's win has boosted the belief that Finidi's team can go all the way and turn their near-miss in the league into Federation Cup success.
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