Admin l Saturday, June , 2019
LAFIA, Nasarawa, Nigeria – A brilliant performance capped by a world class Bright Onyedikachi goal headlined Rivers United’s 4-0 win over FC Timberloader in the round of 64 of the 2019 AITEO Cup.
Peter Ubankanma scored a brace while Ossy Martins’ delightful header midway into the second half set the tone as the ‘Pride of Rivers’ won at a canter at the Lafia City Stadium, Lafia on Saturday evening. Ubakanma scored the opener on nine minutes as he struck an indirect free kick with venom from 25 yards.
United had no less than five clear cut-opportunities to increase their advantage in a largely one-sided first half but had to wait until 33 minutes to get their second. The wait was worth the trouble as the goal was one of extraordinary quality, a strike for the ages and a contender for goal of the tournament.
Winger, Bright Onyedikachi picked up a pass just inside the FC Timberloader half and proceeded on a mazy run which left no less than five defenders in his wake before showing ice-cold precision to fire into the bottom corner. The Stadium rose in unison to applaud the truly special strike as United smelt blood and honed in for the kill.
Ubankama completed his brace three minutes after the restart with a simple half volley from close range while Martins’ well-placed header on 58 minutes represented the coup de grace. The Port Harcourt side then took their foot off the gas, knowing the game was won as it was seen out in professional style.
“We do not look down on any team in this type of competition,” Stanley Eguma, technical manager of Rivers United FC, Stanley Eguma told the official website of the club, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng afterwards. We were better today and that’s because we played seriously and did not think about the name of the team we were playing against.
I am particularly happy that we scored four goals today because our problem has always been converting our chances and psychologically, it will help our players who will now know that they can score goals,” Eguma concluded. Head coach of FC Timberloader, Kasimu ‘Socrates’ Mohammed also took the time to discuss his side’s performance against higher rated opposition.
“This was not a bad game because we have never played against a team at such a high level before. Rivers United is a good team and I appreciate the way they play,” he said. United now march on to the last 32 of the competition knowing that far sterner tests lie ahead.
Squad: Abiodun Akande (Darlington Ovunda 82’), Peter Ubakanma, Konan Ruffin, Ogar David, Temple Emekayi, Uchenna Martins, Bright Onyedikachi (Esor Nelson 73’), Malachi Ohawume (Justice Charles 71’), Ossy Martins, Kehinde Adedipe and Bamba Bakary.
Substitutes not used: Chigozie Ihunda, Festus Austin, Tofic Omar and Cletus Emotan. Rivers United, Peter Ubakanma 9′, 48′; Bright Onyedikachi 34′ and Ossy Martins 58′
