Young African SC Tanzanian beats Rivers Utd 2-0

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

Young Africans SC of Tazania thrash their opponent, Rivers Utd of Nigeria by 2-0 in their Totalenergies CAF Confederation Cup quarter first leg competition played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.
The Young Africans took the game to their opponent side from the blast of the whistle and at the 74 minutes of play striker Fiston Kalala Mayele scored the first goal through run of play.

Rivers United FC efforts to equalise was marred by the second goal in the 81minutes through the same striker Fiston Mayele when the Rivers Utd defenders lost their bearing.

Speaking during the post match briefing, Young Africans Coach, Nasredinne Nabi, said he was happy for the result as he came with the team with hope and it paid off for them.

“I am happy for the result, I came with hope that we are going to play a big team but thank God we’ve won

“This result is surprised for me because I know Rivers United is a good team and is very difficult to win in Nigeria, for that it is very good result. I have confidence in my players,” Nabi said.

Captain of Young Africans, Stephane Aziz in his comment said the players worked very hard to achieve the result and promised to go far in the competition.

The Coach of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma said it was a bad day for the team to lose their home match, stressing that the players could not get their ark right in the game.

Eguma attributed the loss to injury sustained by their star players who could not feature in today’s match with the Young Africans.

He said the team would endeavour to get their rhythms back in the second leg and bounce back into the competition.

“It was a bad day for us today, we didn’t get our ark right, but that is football. When the game started, we had a lot of scoring chances at our hands in the first half but players couldn’t convert them to goals.

“We had upper hand in the game in the first half until when there was opening and the opponent scored as a result of defence mistake.

“The goal really motivated them and they came all out to play. The second goal they scored was in the run of play because it was an opportunity for us score a goal but players lost their bearings when they took the corner kick.

“Like I said, it was a bad game for us today but I believe we’ve learnt our lesson today. Actually, we lost some of our key players into this team, which they were there, would have made a difference.

“Players like Morris Chukwu, Onaja Joseph and our highest goal scorer Paul Aquah, they are all out due to injury.

“We are to go back and work harder and get our rhythms well for the second leg. It is not yet over, we will still bounce back in the next game,” Egu,a assured.

The captain in today’s match, Nwagua Nekeberi, said it was a shocking result but they would go back and put their arks together to win in the second leg.