Rivers United of Port Harcourt coach, Stanley Eguma has predicted that his side will pick another continental ticket at the end of this season.
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He boasted that his players have the quality that continental campaigners are made of and stressed that they can stage another quest for African glory.
Although his side are still down in 17th spot on the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) table, with 34 points to show for their efforts, Eguma posited that renewed vigour from his players will help them catch up with the leading pack.
Incidentally, his searing confidence is boosted with the fact that Rivers United still have six matches outstanding to play, resulting from their surge into the quarter-finals of this year’s CAF Confederation Cup.
In spite of crashing out after losing 2-1 on aggregate to USM Alger of Algeria, Rivers United had won the first leg at home and pulled off their best continental surge in seven outings altogether.
They first competed in the CAF Champions League in 2017, following a second placed spot on the domestic log, then stormed back after winning the NPFL for the first time in 2022; but ended it with a second round exit in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Garden City side currently have a total of three appearances in the Champions League and four in the Confederation Cup, with Eguma now predicting that an additional number will be added to the haul this season.
His confidence seemed to get a boost with Tuesday’s 3-1 victory at home against Plateau United of Jos, who are sixth on the log with 47 points and grabbed a consolation away goal in five minutes of added time.
Nonetheless, after pulling off straight victories in his last two games, making it three wins out of six matches, with two defeats and a draw in between, Eguma is looking forward to better days ahead of The Pride of Rivers.
They next play away to table topping Rangers International of Enugu, but Eguma is undaunted by the odds and fancies his team’s chances.
He reflected on Tuesday’s surge against Plateau United and gave his players kudos for a job well done in the pulsating encounter at Adokiye Amesiamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
While analysing Tuesday’s game, the two-time technical adviser of Rivers United admitted that their opponents from Jos gave a good account of themselves, but stressed that the hosts deserved the victory and showed that they have what it takes to return to the continent once again.
Eguma declared at length: “It was a good game and a big brand for the NPFL. The pace and the quality of the game were very, very high. I commend the two teams for their efforts.
“We had more chances in the game, and we converted three. The boys lived up to expectation. They put their opponents under pressure for the major part of the game.
“We had the better part of the possession, and I wasn’t surprised that we were able to score those goals.”
He then enthused that the Port Harcourt-based side can now think of returning to the continent at the end of this season, as their form in recent matches is evocative of a squad that is determined to excel
“Now we can start thinking of going back to the continent. We can still qualify,” Eguma added.
“We have not lost sight, not lost focus. We are taking the games as they come … one at a time, one after the other.
“I strongly believe we can still get up there; irrespective of the fact that we are down in the table for now.
“By the time we complete all our games, I know we’ll find ourselves up there. We are working towards that, and we’ll not relent until we achieve it.”
