E be like say Friday night for Kano no be better night for Rivers United as dem unbeaten away waka for 2025/2026 NPFL finally jam brick wall.
Barau FC show dem pepper with 4–1 for Sani Abacha Stadium. Na one of those nights wey football just talk say, “Oga, today no be your day.”
Even with the loss, Rivers United still sit down jejely for top of NPFL table like chairman wey no wan stand up, na weytin hitvibz dey yan be dat.
Rivers United Start Sharp but Kano Collect Remote
The Pride of Rivers enter the rescheduled matchday five match with full ginger, pressing like team wey don hear last bus dey leave park.
Before Kano breeze even settle, Rivers United don talk their own. Osimaga Duke bang one serious thunderbolt from outside the box inside five minutes — Yusuf Mohammed for Barau goal just turn spectator.
No chance, no argument. Na goal wey make radio commentator shout for beer parlour.
Rivers United continue dey enjoy better moments. Yusuf Mohammed later turn hero small as e deny Samson Obi after Emmanuel Nnaji drop clean pass like Sunday rice.
Wasiu Falolu too try luck from far, but the ball waka pass post like say e miss road.
But as dem dey talk for football, if you no kill match, match go kill you. Barau FC begin grow small-small inside game. For 25th minute, Usman Maidubji calmly send penalty go net and level matter.
Just before halftime, Jimmy Ambrose add salt to injury, slot in second goal and give home fans reason to shout “Up Kano!”
Second half come worse for Rivers boys. Kabir Abdullahi enter from bench like super sub wey no dey smile. For 64th minute, e add third.
Eight minutes later, sharp counter-attack, same Kabir again — brace complete, game over. Scoreline don turn something wey no fit explain performance.
That one seal bad night for league leaders and officially end their strong away run.
Still, no panic. Rivers United remain number one for NPFL table with 33 points from 17 matches, still two points clear of Nasarawa United. League table no dey lie, but sometimes e dey joke small.
Rivers United Chop Punishment as Tiredness Show Face
After match, assistant coach Yemi Olarenwaju, wey stand in for Finidi George because of bereavement, yarn am as e be — no sugarcoating, no long grammar.
According to am,
“I just dey feel say any day e fit turn against us. E no go easy, you know. Wetin show today no really tell the real story of the match, because na we control the whole game.
If you check am well, na like 70% we play. We dominate the match, but the result no good. I feel say na small fatigue cause am.
The boys look tired small. Na only dat make I think say we concede like that. E just be one of those things.
Football na marathon. We gats forget this one and face the next match. No be something to dey dwell on.
See eh, within the next three days we dey play again. E mad. This na our second game in less than three weeks, with plenty travelling.
We still gats go house go play. This match suppose happen sharp sharp after Plateau United match, since e be outstanding game.
But instead, dem make us go Port Harcourt go play there, then you do two days journey come back come play again here.
E no easy at all. E hard for the boys. But this na Rivers United — we be people wey dey built for tough times. This match no go scatter us. Na just one of those things.
Out of eight games, one or two go always no go your way. This na one of them. We don forget am already.
Our focus na to get the job done against Katsina United and return back to winning ways. We no dey dwell on this. Never.
Na football. E dey happen.”
Next stop na Ilorin on Monday, where Finidi George boys go face Katsina United, ready to bounce back and remind everybody say league leaders still get teeth. Top of the table still dey their hand — and dem no plan drop am.
You like this gist abi?
Oya, we go like hear from you. Help us drop small comment for the box below!
Last Updated on December 20, 2025 8:36 am by Hitvibz Media
Stay connected