Rivers United go for YANGA’s blood as quarterfinals holds across Africa

Rivers United of Port Harcourt believe that a good win against Young Africans of Tanzania (YANGA) in Uyo, today, will make their job easier for the reverse fixture, next week, at the Benjamin Nkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam.

The Pride of Rivers will host the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal game against YANGA at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.

As Nigeria’s line remaining team in continental club campaign, Rivers United say they know the enormity of the job before them.

Speaking on today’s game, yesterday, Rivers United head coach, Stanley Eguma, said his team are prepared for the battle of their lives, adding that they see YANGA as a tough side seeking vengeance on his club.

Rivers United defeated YANGA on both legs of the 2021 Confederation Cup.

He said: “We are not relying on past performance because no two games are the same,” Eguma stated.

“I understand that Young Africans has rebuilt its team and they are doing well this time around in the domestic league, they also topped their group in the Confederation Cup.”

Rivers United’s doctors, will examine forward, Paul Acquah, this morning to ascertain if he is fit enough for the encounter with YANGA.

The Ghanaian midfielder sustained an injury in Rivers United’s final group game against ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire in Yamoussoukro last month.

According top the club’s Media Officer, Charles Mayuku, Acquah has been training with his teammates, but the doctors need to see if he is fit enough to go through the rigours of a game of this calibre.

“Acquah, who is Rivers United’s top scorer in the Confederation Cup, is back in training with the rest of the team preparing for our game against Young African of Tanzania. He will be assessed by the coaches for final inclusion, but he is training with the squad in Uyo,” Mayuku said.

The Tanzanians arrived in Uyo on Friday afternoon after spending Thursday night in Lagos.

They had their first training session at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Friday evening and did another session yesterday.

South African referee, Tom Abongile, 30, supervised yesterday’s pre-match conference. He will be in charge of the game.

In other quarterfinal games, Algeria’s USM Algiers will meet Morocco’s AS FAR in a North African derby Algiers, while Egypt’s Pyramids FC are home in Cairo to debutants, Marumo Gallants of South Africa, just as former champions, Asec Mimosas, are away to Tunisia’s US Monastir.

The reverse fixtures will hold on April 30, while the semifinals will be played on May 14 and 21.

The final, which is set to revert to the traditional home-and-away format, has been scheduled for June 4 and 11.