Three foreign stars at Rivers United, Godbless Asamoah, Wilson Andoh and Guy Kuemian have expressed hope that the club claims at least a CAF Champions League ticket at the end of the current Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.
United will be guaranteed a place in Africa’s elite club competition next year if they finish in the top two position in this season’s NPFL and they still retain a mathematical chance of winning the title at the end of the current campaign.
The Port Harcourt club currently trail the leaders, Enugu Rangers by three points and will be guaranteed, at least a second place finish in the league, if they win their final league game of the season, away to Akwa United.
Rivers United’s Godbless Asamoah
Asamoah was the first to speak and he explained that winning the crucial game against the ‘Promise Keepers’ is vital if his side to end the season on a high.
“Since we drew that last (NPFL game at home to Abia Warriors last Sunday), the mind set amongst the players is to go to Uyo and win against Akwa United.
“That will make the fans and us, players happy so we will do our best to win that last game.
“We are working hard to achieve that,” the Ghanaian striker told RIVERS UNITED MEDIA.
Rivers United’s Wilson Andoh (L)
Asamoah’s compatriot, Andoh also echoed the sentiments of his teammate stating that a win in Uyo is non-negotiable.
“We need to win against Akwa United and we have our destiny in our hands.
“Drawing against Abia Warriors was not good for us as we felt we would get the win and consolidate our position on the log,” he said.
The final salvo was fired by Ivoirian marksman, Kuemian who spoke about his desire to help ‘the Pride of Rivers’ secure CAF Champions League football this season.
Rivers United’s Guy Kuemian
“The match against Akwa United is important for us especially as we want CAF Champions League football in Port Harcourt next season.
“We are preparing very hard for the game on Sunday so we can get the win,” he said.
Rivers United is currently in second place on the NPFL standings with 57 points from 35 matches.
The first round of the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season comes to a close on Sunday with one of the stand out fixtures billed to take place in Makurdi.
Lobi Stars face the leaders, Rivers United at the Aper Aku Stadium in a contest that should intrigue and excite in equal measure.
Kingsley Eduwo and Anthony Okpotu have been two of Lobi’s most impressive performers this season but they miss out on Sunday’s fixture as they are both suspended.
Okpotu, Lobi’s main outlet for goals this term (he has ensured the net bulged nine times this season) says United should not be lulled into a false sense of security as a result of his absence.
Rivers United Team.
“My teammates will miss me (on Sunday) but I am very confident in the players who will replace me and my strike partner, Eduwo.
“I believe the other strikers (who get selected to play) will step up to the plate.
“It hurts not to play in such an important game but there is nothing anyone can do now,” Okpotu told Rivers United Media.
Lobi Stars head coach, Godwin ‘Koko’ Uwua, also took the time to discuss the suspension of Okpotu and Eduwo, explaining that it does not set the cat among the pigeons for his side.
“The boys are important to me quite alright but without them, the team can still move on and that is why we registered 30 players for the season.
“And for me, the first 20 of these 30 players (registered by Lobi Stars for this season’s NPFL campaign) are extremely important but this is a chance for those that don’t get to play regularly to prove themselves.
“They now have a chance to prove to me that they deserve to be in the team ahead of players like Eduwo and Okpotu.
“This is actually a good situation for me,” Uwua added.
Lobi Stars, currently six points adrift of United, will considerably close the gap on their guests with a win on Sunday.
The ‘Ortom Boys’ have impressed with solid results this term and Uwua puts it down to a burning desire of his players to put financial rewards away from the front burner.
“My philosophy is simple. I have taught the boys how to be winners.
“Before we signed up any player, we made him understand he was coming here to work and not because of money.
“The objective is to put smiles on the faces of Benue people (Lobi Stars is owned by the Benue State Government).
Lobi’s opponents on Sunday, Rivers United, have punched above their weight this season.
The ‘Pride of Rivers’, formed just three months and three days ago, astonishingly sit top of the NPFL log and only 90 minutes separate them from being crowned champions at the halfway mark of the season.
Talk of a title push has however been quickly quelled by the technical manager of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma.
“Talking about us winning the title at this stage of the season is an insult to all the other teams in the league.
“It is still too early to start talking about such things because we have not even gotten to the half way stage of the season.
“There are still so many games to be played but our objectives are clear to us.
“We will continue working hard and taking things one game at a time,” he said.
Obomate Frederick
Eguma is still without first choice defenders, Yaovi Douhadji and Chigozie Ihunda while Ghanaian marksman, Godbless Asamoah who suffered a hamstring strain in midweek did not travel to Makurdi.
Ivoirian star, Guy Kuemian however made a welcome return to first team action when he played for the first time since April 10 in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Akwa United in Port Harcourt.
Eguma knows a win in Makurdi will see United open up a lead at the summit of the standings but acknowledges that his side are underdogs going into Sunday’s fixture.
“Lobi Stars are the favourites in this game because they have been impressive this season and will have their fans behind them (on Sunday).
“However, before we played against Warri Wolves (in Warri on May 8), nobody gave us a chance to win but we did.
“So we will go to Makurdi with the same spirit and hopefully, come back to Port Harcourt with maximum points.
“My players understand the task at hand and I have implicit trust in them,” he said.
Rivers United have won four of their last five games but will need to raise the stakes even higher to get anything from the fixture against Lobi, a side yet to suffer a home reverse this season.
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