Rivers United head coach Finidi George hailed his players’ resilience after guiding the Pride of Rivers to a historic ninth straight NPFL home win with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The win not only extended Rivers United’s unbeaten start to the 2025/26 NPFL season but also shows the influence of Finidi’s leadership as he reshaped the squad after a demanding continental fixture.
Biokpo’s penalty secures vital win for Finidi
Both sides struggled to find a breakthrough in a cagey first half despite creating promising chances.
The turning point came just five minutes after the restart when Maclyn Biokpo confidently converted a penalty to hand the hosts the lead.
That strike proved decisive, as Rivers United held firm despite late pressure from the visitors. Tornadoes’ defeat marked their ninth consecutive loss in Port Harcourt, a streak that continues to haunt them.
Finidi’s trust in squad depth pays off
The victory was particularly significant for Finidi, who made nine changes to his starting XI following their CAF Champions League clash against Les Aigles du Congo.
“These are players we trust because we worked with them in pre-season,” Finidi explained. “We knew we had to give the regular starters some rest after the long trip. I’m happy with how these players handled their first game of the season — it shows their discipline and professionalism.”
Finidi admitted that some players showed nerves early on but praised their fitness and ability to endure the intensity of the match.
“It’s never easy playing your first match of the season, but physically they coped well. This performance gives us confidence we can rotate and still get strong results,” he added.
A growing fortress at home
Wednesday’s result means Rivers United are now unbeaten in 16 consecutive NPFL home games, with their last home loss dating back to November 2024 against Bayelsa United.
The Pride of Rivers has conceded just one goal in all competitions this season, moving them to third place on the table with 11 points from five matches, while Tornadoes dropped to fourth.
Next up, Rivers United will travel to Aba for a tough clash against Enyimba, while Tornadoes will look to bounce back at home against Kun Khalifat.
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