Rivers United secured a narrow 1–0 victory over Kano Pillars in a rescheduled 2025/2026 NPFL matchday 15 clash in Port Harcourt, but the win came at a visible cost.

Head Coach Finidi George admitted his side’s sloppy performance was largely due to psychological fatigue after their recent 1–2 CAF Champions League defeat to RS Berkane in Uyo, Footballrover reports.

Rivers United Struggle Mentally After CAF Defeats

Despite the challenges, the Pride of Rivers continues to maintain third place on the NPFL table with 26 points from 13 matches, holding two games in hand.

Finidi was candid about the mental toll his players faced.

“It’s a difficult game, and we knew from the onset,” he said. “Coming from that defeat (to RS Berkane of Morocco in the CAF Champions League) in Uyo, I think it affected the players psychologically.”

The early signs were clear. Rivers United appeared a little sloppy in the first half, struggling to control the game and create clear chances.

The head coach admitted that psyching up the players was not easy after consecutive continental setbacks.

Late Brilliance Secures Victory for Rivers United

The breakthrough came in the 88th minute when Boluwaji Sholumade rose to head home the decisive goal.

Finidi reflected on the team’s second-half improvement: “In the second half, they pushed, and luckily for us, we got that genuine goal. We’re quite happy with the three points.”

This result allowed Rivers United to bounce back from their CAF Champions League heartbreak.

Just days earlier, they had surrendered a 1–0 lead to lose 2–1 against RS Berkane at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, a match that exposed their defensive lapses.

And right before then, they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Pyramids FC in their opening fixture of the CAF competition.

The Port Harcourt outfit have stretched their unbeaten run to six league matches. They’ve suffered just a single defeat all season and have allowed only four goals across 13 fixtures.

However, Finidi and his boys will now turn their attention to their upcoming NPFL matchday 16 fixture against sixth-placed Abia Warriors in Umuahia this Sunday, 7 December 2025.

After a hard-fought victory, Finidi’s side will look to consolidate their position in the top three while continuing to manage player fatigue from CAF duties.

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Last Updated on December 4, 2025 4:53 pm by footballrover