By Our Correspondent in Ozoro
RIVERS UNITED’S title charge hit a massive Delta-sized speed bump yesterday as a spirited Warri Wolves side tore up the script with a clinical 2-0 victory. On a day where the heavyweights expected to assert their dominance, it was the “Sea Going Boys” who looked like the true kings of the jungle.
The drama kicked off early in the 12th minute when the visitors’ defense blinked. A clumsy challenge in the box gave the referee no choice but to point to the spot. Up stepped Igbunu Evwierhurhoma—the man with ice in his veins. With the weight of the Ozoro crowd on his shoulders, he coolly slotted the penalty past the helpless John Noble to send the home fans into a frenzy.
Rivers United, boasted by stars like Aniekeme Okon and the industrious Friday Ubong, pushed for an equalizer, but they found the Wolves’ backline—marshaled by the veteran Ekene Olisema—to be an impenetrable fortress.
As the “Pride of Rivers” threw everything forward in a desperate search for a point, they were caught cold in the dying embers of the game. With the clock ticking toward the 90th minute, Othuke Egbo emerged as the hero of the hour. Latched onto a swift counter-attack, Egbo showed Premier League-level composure to smash home the second, effectively ending the contest and sending Rivers back to Port Harcourt empty-handed.
The result sees Rivers United tumble from the top of the NPFL log, overtaken by Rangers on goal difference. For the Wolves, it’s a massive statement of intent: underestimate them at your own peril.
Match Stats:
Scorers: Evwierhurhoma (12’ pen), Egbo (90’)
Venue: Ozoro Polytechnic Stadium
Man of the Match: Igbunu Evwierhurhoma (Warri Wolves)
