Rivers United booked their place in the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup after coming from behind to beat Dreams FC 2-1 in a hard-fought affair at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Sunday evening.
It was not a good start to the first-half expected by the Pride of Rivers as they fell behind to an Abdul Aziz Issah's strike five minutes before the break.
However, Stanley Eguma's side displayed bravery and desire to win in the second half which ensured they restored parity through Deputy Echeta in the 61st minute mark.
Rivers United kept pressuring for the second goal but the visitors were resolute in defense despite being reduced to ten men with nine minutes of regulation time left.
Nonetheless, the NPFL side made their one man advantage count in added time as a last gasp winner from Kazie Godswill in the ninth minute of added time gave Rivers United the needed victory that saw them clinch a berth in the quarter-finals.
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Rivers United 2-1 Dreams FC
We advance to the quarterfinals of the CAF Confederation's Cup #CAFCC— Rivers United FC (@RiversUnitedFC) March 3, 2024
Despite the loss, Dreams FC qualified top of Group C, a good representation of the Ghana Premier League.
Rivers United scripted back-to-back quarter-final appearance
The 2021/22 NPFL Champions made history on Sunday evening in the win over Dreams FC to keep the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) still represented in CAF competitions this season.
After finishing as quarter-finalists last campaign in this competition, Rivers United made it a back-to-back shot at the CAF Confederation Cup last 8.
They're the only Nigerian side left in continental club competitions this campaign as Enyimba, Remo Stars, and Bendel Insurance all failed to make progress during the preliminary rounds last year.
What Rivers United win means for the NPFL
The quarter-final qualification of Rivers United is not only a source of pride for the Port Harcourt club and their fans but a good news for Nigeria's domestic league in general.
An NPFL side reaching the last 8 of the CAF Confederation Cup means that four Nigerian teams will qualify for CAF competitions next season.
At the time of this publication, Lobi Stars, Plateau United, Enugu Rangers, and Remo Stars occupy the top four spots on the NPFL table. These teams will battle tooth and claws to pick the available four slots on the continent next season.
However, for Rivers United, winning the CAF Confederation Cup this season will be a dream come true after missing out on the title last campaign.
This article was most recently revised and updated 6 months ago
