In a thrilling encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Rivers United emerged victorious with a crucial 1-0 win over USM Alger in the first leg of their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final clash.
The hero of the match was Augustine Okejepha, whose clinical strike from the edge of the box in the 10th minute broke the deadlock and put Rivers United in the lead.
Abubakar Adamu’s well-executed assist from a corner kick set the stage for Okejepha’s decisive goal, giving the home side an early advantage.
Throughout the game, Rivers United displayed physical dominance, making it challenging for USM Alger to match their intensity.
Despite the Algerian side’s efforts, they struggled to contain Rivers United’s attacking prowess.
However, a brief respite came for USM Alger when rain arrived after 70 minutes, allowing them to regroup and minimize the damage to a single-goal deficit by the final whistle.
Looking ahead to the second leg in Algiers on April 7th, USM Alger faces a daunting task as they aim to overturn the deficit and secure passage to the semi-finals.
With home advantage, they will be determined to mount a strong comeback, but Rivers United’s solid performance suggests they will provide stiff competition.
The stakes are high for USM Alger, with qualification to the next round offering an opportunity to continue their title defense and pursue continental glory.
The winner of this tie will face the winner between Abu Salim and RS Berkane in the semi-final, adding further excitement to the competition.
