Former Nigeria winger and Rivers United Technical Manager, Finidi George, has described Wednesday, 25 February 2026, as a ‘day to smile’ after the Pride of Rivers ended their five-game winless run in all competitions with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Barau FC in a rescheduled 2025/2026 NPFL fixture, Completesports.com reports.
The 2024/2025 NPFL runners-up had to wait until the 85th minute when Stephen Manyo broke Barau FC’s resilience with a superb strike that handed ‘Finito’s’ side all three points. The victory lifted Rivers United to the top of the table with 46 points and three games in hand.
Finidi Delighted As Rivers United Grind Out Crucial Victory
The former AFC Ajax winger and 1995 UEFA Champions League winner could not hide his joy after the final whistle.
“I think it was a very good game for Rivers United. The only thing that was lacking, especially in the first half, was a goal,” Finidi said during the post-match press conference.
Also Read: CAF Champions League: Rivers United Will Learn From Dismal Outing — Finidi
“We looked for that goal, but it wasn’t easy in coming. Like Enyimba did, Barau FC started wasting time. We dominated the game, tried to push more, but the goal didn’t come until that last moment (85th minute).
“So, it’s a day to smile. Let me smile for once. It’s been a while (laughs). It’s a slim victory, but I’m quite happy that we got the three points.”
Rivers United Dominate But Labour For Breakthrough
The Rivers United technical boss maintained that his side dominated proceedings from start to finish, but the breakthrough was not forthcoming before Manyo broke the visitors’ resilience five minutes before the final whistle.
“If you can go back and check ball possession of the match and chances created, if this game had ended 3-1, I think it would have been a good result. But football being what it is, we’ll accept this victory and see how we can push the boys properly for this weekend’s match against Bayelsa United.”
Finidi Reflects On Goal Struggles In Tough NPFL Campaign
The former Sharks of Port Harcourt winger refused to reveal the reasons behind his team’s persistent struggles in front of goal.
“We keep on working with the players, doing all the drilling, but come match day we struggle. I can’t tell you the reasons for our struggles, but that has been the trend in the league,” he said, explaining that the NPFL’s leading scorer being on 10 goals underlines the tough nature of the competition.
“The top scorer in the league (Uche Collins of Katsina United) is on ten (10) goals after twenty-something games.
“So, it’s a difficult league, if you look at it. So many factors, but notwithstanding that, we should be scoring goals. If you have three or four chances, at least two should be goals. But for today, I’m quite happy for the three points.”
Finidi Targets Redemption Against Bayelsa United
Rivers United will travel to Bayelsa United this weekend mindful of the challenge ahead.
Last season, the ‘Restoration Boys’ came to Port Harcourt and secured victory. Back in Yenagoa, they completed a double over the Pride of Rivers.
Also Read: Leave Finidi George Alone! — Odegbami
This season again, Bayelsa United snatched a win in Port Harcourt during their first-round visit. However, Finidi is not losing sleep ahead of the trip, hinting that he could make some changes to his matchday squad to ensure they do not return empty-handed.
“It’s always a difficult match. Last season, we lost home and away to Bayelsa United. But this time around, we’ll try to avoid that. We lost here (in the first-round match), but we’ll try to avoid losing over there in Yenagoa as well.
“We’ll see what happens. The most important thing is for the players to recover properly. We know this league is a marathon. Every three or four days, we have a match. The most important thing is the recovery of the players, and we will try to get them ready mentally for the match.”
Fixture Congestion Tests Rivers United’s Depth
Finidi George’s side are battling fixture congestion domestically following their involvement in the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League. The situation has forced them to play every three or four days.
“I saw the intensity we played with against Enyimba. The Enyimba match was 50-50, but today I think it was much better. Fatigue? I can’t say because I’ve not really seen it. We’re still pushing.
“You can see today we brought in some fresh legs. The captain came in and did his best as well. So hopefully, against Bayelsa United, we’ll see if we can maybe make one or two changes to play that game.”
Finidi also refused to compare his team’s current standing with that of the same stage last season.
“At this time last season, we were third or fourth on the table. But this time, with the matches we’ve played and the outstanding games we have, I think we’re top of the log.
“It’s not about going back to check what we did or where we were at this time last season. Rather, it’s all about holding your head high and pushing forward.”
By Sab Osuji
