Rivers Angels thrilled their home fans with entertaining football on Wednesday as they staged a solid comeback to defeat Benue Queens 4-2 in a six-goal NWFL thriller at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.

Despite naming a heavily rotated squad, the Port Harcourt-based side wrapped up their regular season campaign in emphatic style.

The victory not only lifted spirits ahead of their President Federation Cup clash but also sent a warning shot to Super Six contenders.

Benue Queens stun home fans early, but Rivers Angels hit back

The match sparked into life when Nana Yusuf opened scoring for Rivers Angels in the 20th minute.

But their early joy was short-lived. Benue Queens, brimming with so much energy from defence to attack, turned the tide with quickfire goals from Hellen Alex and Ranti Joshua, silencing the home crowd and taking a 2-1 lead into halftime.

Unfazed by the setback, the Garden City side regrouped and roared back in the second half.

Aminat Folorunsho slotted home the equaliser in the 68th minute, paving the way for super-sub Chisom Nwachukwu to steal the show.

Her brilliant brace turned the tie on its head, sealing a 4-2 comeback win for the reigning champions.

“We weren’t even prepared” – Rivers Angels Coach shrugs off win

Despite the exciting finish, head coach Tosan Blackson was quick to downplay the significance of the win over Benue Queens.

“This is an experimental match,” he told Footballrover. We’ve qualified for the Super Six already, and there are so many players that have not been tested this season. So we have to give them opportunity. Irrespective of that, we still kept some valuable ones on the bench; at the end of the day, those ones now came in and turned the game around.”

He added, “We were not prepared for this match (against Benue Queens). They were prepared against us. We were already thinking of the FA Cup and the Super Six. So whatever result we get today, we know it’s welcomed. So we were not under pressure.”

When asked if a loss would’ve mattered, he replied confidently, “There is no way we would have lost the game. That I know.”

Benue Queens reflect on debut season, set sights on rebuilding

Benue Queens’ head coach Liadi Bashiru acknowledged the challenge ahead after finishing the season on a sour note.

“We need to look at the team generally and physically, and we need to work on all aspects,” he said. By the time we go on break and regroup, we will be able to get what we need.”

With the NWFL regular season now behind them, the PH Angels shift their attention to the President Federation Cup, where they face First Mahia in the Round of 16 on Saturday.

Then it’s off to Ikenne for the Super Six showdown from May 8 to 17, where the real battle for the crown begins.

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Last Updated on May 1, 2025 9:16 am by Sir Kris