FOOTBALL: CAF confed cup: Rivers qualify for group stage, gets cash awards
Emmanuel Alfred
Rivers United have progressed to the latter group stage of the CAF Confederations Cup with a 2 – 0 defeat of Burkinabe side Etoile Filante in the 2nd leg final Qualifying round yesterday at the Adokiye Amesiemaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
They progress with a 2-0 aggregate after the first leg ended 0-0 at the Stade Muncipal Yamoussoukro, in Morocco.
Alex Oyowah was the hero of the night with a brace. He scored the first goal of the game in the 89th minute before he converted a penalty one minute later to make it 2-0.
Rivers who reached the quarter final stage of the competition last season are now the only Nigerian team on the continent after Enyimba, Remo Stars n Bendel Insurance all exited the various CAF club tournaments.
The former Nigeria Professional Football League are guaranteed at least N300 million Naira for participation in this season’s tournament and can go further to N1.5b in prize money as winners.
They will discover their group phase opponents on Friday, October 6 when the draw is conducted in South Africa.
Super Eagles Head Coach, Jose Peseiro took to his personal X (formerly known as Twitter) handle to hail the Pride of Rivers following their achievement.
“Congratulations to Rivers United on making it to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage. Best of luck in the competition!,” he wrote.
