Rivers United’s Coach, Finidi George, has blamed his team’s home loss to Zimbabwe’s Power Dynamos, which has almost knocked them out of contention in the CAF Champions League, on the slow start to Sunday’s game by his players.
 
A frustrated Finidi, who bemoaned his team’s sluggish approach to the game held at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, said his wards were well prepared for the game, adding that their performance on Sunday did not reflect the efforts the technical crew put into the team.
 
Rivers United’s loss, through Kondwani Chiboni’s second-half strike, was the Port Harcourt-based side’s third defeat in four group matches. It left them rooted to the bottom of Group A with just one point.
 
He said: “It was a game we wanted to win, but we were a bit passive, especially in the first half.

“We passed the ball too much at the back, and that gave them time to organise properly.”
 
He said that his side tried to correct their mistakes in the second half, explaining that their inability to convert the chances they created ruined their plans.
 
Despite the loss, Finidi assured Nigerians that Rivers United would continue to fight to rectify their position, saying that in football, anything is possible.
 
“We will continue to motivate the boys. We definitely want to get a first victory as well. We know we’re going to play against the top two teams in the last two games, but all is possible in football.
 
“Even though qualification is difficult, we want to show character and at least have a win, you know, in the last two games,” he said.
  
The former Enyimba of Aba coach said that Rivers United have learnt a lot from the current campaign, saying that such lessons would serve them well in future championships.
 
“If we find ourselves in a group stage next season, hopefully, we will recruit properly and get some additional players. But for the players that we
have now, it’s an experience for them.
 
“Apart from two or three players in this squad, none of the others have even played in the Confederation Cup. So they will learn. If we find ourselves in situations like this next season, I think the players will do better.”