In a thrilling encounter played inside the Godswill Akpabio stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers United secured their spot in the quarterfinals of the CAF Confederation Cup after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Dreams FC of Ghana.
The match reached its climax when Enyinnaya Kazie netted a dramatic goal in the 99th minute, sending fans into wild celebrations as the Port-Harcourt based team clinched qualification alongside their Ghanaian counterparts who finished top of Group C.
Tunisian side, Club Africain and Academica of Angola failed to progress to the knockout stages.
Rivers United's journey in the CAF Confederation Cup has not been too convincing, but they have shown their mettle and will be hoping to make a strong push in the knockout stages.
The victory comes as a testament to the team's resilience and determination and also meant that they have qualified for the quarterfinals for the second successive season.
How Rivers United advanced to the Knockout stages
The must-win matchup for the Nigerian side didn’t go according to script as they conceded first through Abdul Azziz in the 40th minute with the visitors taking the lead with a brilliant solo effort.
In the second half, Deputy Echeta equalised for the home side in the 61st minute with a powerful header off a lovely cross.
The visitors were then reduced to ten men when Seth Agmeyang was sent off for a second bookable offence with about ten minutes left in regulation time. Rivers United then pressed for the winning goal that would guarantee qualification and it came right at the death as Kazie Enyinnaya ticked the ball home after a scramble.
In the upcoming quarterfinals, Rivers United will face stiff competition as they continue their quest for continental glory.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has said that it will announce the date for the draw of the quarter-finals in the coming days.
