Rivers United coach, Finidi George, was unable to inspire his side to victory but managed to find pride and harmony as they played out a draw game against Kwara United in the final group stage match of the Valuejet Cup Preseason Tournament at the Remo Stars Stadium.
Despite dominating large spells of the game, they were unable to find a decisive breakthrough against the stubborn Harmony Boys, Footballrover reports.
The high-flying Rivers United locked horns with the struggling Kwara United side, and it ended in a 1-1 draw in the final Group B showdown on Sunday evening.
The Pride of Rivers looked to be on course for victory, but the Harmony Boys showed resilience to salvage a point.
The Port Harcourt outfit, fresh off a 2-0 demolition of Ijebu United and a hard-fought draw against Remo Stars, were the clear favourites.
Kwara United, on the other hand, were looking to salvage their campaign after a disappointing start, including a shock defeat to Ijebu United.
The whistle blew, and the battle commenced! Both sides came out swinging, eager to secure a spot in the knockout stages.
The early exchanges were a tight one as both teams probed for weaknesses. Half an hour in, and it was still anyone’s game.
The deadlock was finally broken just before the break!
Okon Aniekeme, the Rivers United talisman, unleashed a thunderbolt that left the Kwara United keeper rooted to the spot, and Rivers went into the break with a deserved lead.
The second half was a different story. Kwara United emerged from the tunnel with renewed strength, desperate to salvage something from the game.
Their persistence paid off when Dehinde Ibrahim delivered a moment of magic to level the scores.
The final whistle blew with the score locked at 1-1. A thrilling encounter that could have gone either way.
But in the end, it was the Garden City side who emerged victorious, topping Group B and setting up a mouthwatering clash with Ikorodu City.
Kwara United, despite their valiant effort, bowed out of the competition.
Meanwhile, Remo Stars secured their place in the next round with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Ijebu United.
Sudanese giants, Al-Merrikh, await them in the next round.
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