By SCM Sports Desk l, Sept 25, 2026
PORT HARCOURT — Legendary Nigerian manager Finidi George saw his Rivers United side deliver an absolute masterclass of relentless attacking football, tearing Kun Khalifa FC to shreds in a sensational 5-0 Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) victory.
The Pride of Rivers erupted in unprecedented fashion to break an extraordinary curse.
Entering the contest having failed to hit five goals in a single match across 95 consecutive fixtures dating back to June 2024, George’s men tore up the record books with a flawless, explosive five-star showing. The result marks the single biggest victory for former Ajax and Real Betis star Finidi George since taking charge of the Port Harcourt giants in July 2024.
Midfield Maestro Sparks the Firestorm
The star of the show was midfield engine Salman Abubakar, who put on a midfield clinic before orchestrating the opening goal half an hour into the contest. Picking up the ball outside the penalty box in the 30th minute, Abubakar unleashed a jaw-dropping, physics-defying long-range rocket that flew straight into the net, leaving the visitor’s goalkeeper completely helpless.
The singular strike sent Rivers United into the halftime break with a 1-0 lead, but the true fireworks were saved for the second period.
Second-Half Blitzkrieg Destroys Visitors
Whatever was said in the home dressing room at halftime paid immediate dividends. Just four minutes after the restart, playmaker Alex Oyowah threaded an incisive, razor-sharp pass through the Kun Khalifa defence to find clinical frontman Chijioke Mbaoma. Mbaoma made no mistake, doubling the hosts’ lead in the 49th minute with a cool, composed finish.
With the wind firmly in their sails, Rivers United’s star-studded midfield took total control of the park. In the 61st minute, Abubakar capped off a sweeping team passing move by smashing home a crisp low drive to complete a sensational personal brace and make it 3-0.
Star striker Mbaoma then turned provider in the 66th minute, splitting open a shell-shocked Kun Khalifa backline with an exquisite assist to set up Wasiu Falolu, who calmly slotted home the fourth. Substitute Ekene Awazie provided the final mic-drop moment of the evening, timing his run to perfection before calmly dispatching the fifth and final goal in the 83rd minute.
From the opening whistle to the final blow, the statistical narrative highlighted total dominance by Rivers United. The Port Harcourt outfit held the lion’s share of possession, dictating the tempo throughout the 90 minutes.
While the halftime scoreboard reflected a tight 1-0 advantage courtesy of Abubakar’s 30th-minute thunderbolt, the second half saw an unbelievable surge in efficiency.
Rivers United unleashed a staggering sequence of four unanswered goals across a 34-minute second-half spree.
Chijioke Mbaoma’s goal in the 49th minute opened the floodgates, followed swiftly by Abubakar’s second strike in the 61st minute, Falolu’s effort in the 66th minute, and Awazie’s 83rd-minute sealer.
Defensively, Finidi George’s men were imperious, restricting Kun Khalifa to mere long-range efforts and recording a pristine clean sheet.
Conversely, the defeat plunged Kun Khalifa deeper into peril; the visitors have now conceded 13 goals across their opening five league outings, leaving them languishing near the foot of the table with just two points and a minus-nine goal difference.
Statement Win Moves Rivers into Second
This historic 5-0 victory propels Rivers United firmly into second position in the early NPFL standings on 10 points from four matches, sitting just one point behind early league leaders Barau FC. Armed with restored attacking swagger and five goals in the bag, Finidi’s stars now prepare for their upcoming away clash against Ranchers Bees.
