Rivers United technical manager Finidi George has challenged his side to make up for points lost in Port Harcourt when they visit Sporting Lagos in this weekend’s Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 12 fixture.
Key takeaways
- Rivers United drew 1-1 with Rangers International FC at home despite creating numerous scoring chances.
- Finidi believes the Port Harcourt club controlled the contest against the reigning champions.
- The former Super Eagles coach wants his players to respond with an away win in Lagos.
- Rivers United have denied blocking Murphy Ben International’s television crew from covering the Rangers match.
- The club said the October 30, 2026 league communication confirmed that the game was not selected for live streaming.
Finidi targets response against Sporting Lagos
The Pride of Rivers had to settle for a point after Rangers left Port Harcourt with a 1-1 result, and Finidi was frustrated by his team’s failure to turn their opportunities into goals.
Assessing the match, Finidi said Rivers United had been superior to the defending NPFL champions, while also taking issue with Rangers’ approach.
“They did not perform like champions, to be honest. Looking at the chances we created, this would not be the discussion if we had finished them. We managed the match well and produced many opportunities in each half,” he said.
The Rivers United manager also criticised Rangers for running down the clock, but said his squad must put the disappointment behind them and focus on the trip to Lagos.
“There is no point crying over what has happened. We have to go away and find a way to win, particularly with Sporting Lagos coming up this weekend. We have dropped four points here and need to recover them,” Finidi added.
Club rejects MBI broadcast access allegation
Rivers United have also issued a response to claims from Murphy Ben International, known as MBI, over the alleged absence of its television production personnel for the Rangers fixture.
In a formal statement, the Port Harcourt side rejected suggestions that it denied MBI’s crew entry or stopped them from working at the stadium. The club said the game was not part of the approved live-streaming list under the Euromatch/NPFL agreement.
Rivers United stated that it received an email from the league at about 8:09pm on October 30, 2026, notifying the club that the match would not be broadcast live.
The club said it followed the instructions provided by the league and was not in a position to ignore official decisions concerning broadcast arrangements.
Rivers United added that MBI have covered two of their 10 league fixtures this season, with both matches played in Port Harcourt. The club reiterated its backing for expanded television coverage of NPFL matches in venues around the country.
The Pride of Rivers further underlined their commitment to the development of football in Nigeria, collaboration with recognised stakeholders and adherence to league rules.
