Rivers United’s Stanley Eguma believes his side’s experience in the Caf Champions League will give them an edge over Rayon Sports in their Confederation Cup ties.
The Nigeria Professional Football League side crashed out of the continent’s elite championship after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Sudanese outfit, Al-Merrikh, and the tactician assures that they will work harder this time to ensure they win their home game convincingly ahead of their return leg in Rwanda.
“We have to work harder, our experience in the champions league ouster is a big loss to us, but we have to work extra hard and then ensure we don’t make mistakes again,” Eguma told media.
“We also have to ensure we win with a wide margin because anything can happen any day, anytime.”
Eguma also apologized to Nigerians on their disappointing performance in Sudan, but added that they will ensure such performance does not repeat itself in the African second-tier tourney.
“One thing in Nigeria [is that] we are friendly with our opponents, we treat them very well but when we go away, they treat us like animals, like we don’t deserve to live.
“Football is not war, it is played everywhere in the whole world, so I expect we have a level playing ground everywhere, especially in Africa, whereby African players will see themselves as brothers and not to intimidate people, that is not football.
“I thank God that we came back but the unfortunate this is that we disappointed Nigerians, we say sorry to Nigerians and we hope that we do better in the confederation cup,” he concluded.