CAF Championship: Rivers United’s Performance Excites Bipi, Others

A football enthusiast and Chief Whip of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Evans Bipi has expressed delight with the performance of Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt, against A.S. Real Bamako of Mali in the second leg preliminary round of the CAF Champions League played at the General Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt, Sunday.
Bipi, who is also the lawmaker representing Ogu/Bolo Constituency in the Assembly in an interview with our correspondent soon after the encounter at the Stadium said with the performance of the Nigerian team, Rivers United FC at Mali, a forthnight ago and their artistic display here in Port Harcourt, he was optimistic that the team would make Nigeria and indeed Rivers State proud.
He called for the support of all Nigerians and sports loving people for the team to emerge victorious in their next encounters so as to make the dreams of all people come true.
Bipi also gave kudos to the players and indeed the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike for all the efforts in ensuring that Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt performed credibtably well in this year’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, after picking a ticket in the Nigeria Professional League, enjoining all to keep up the tempo.
Also speaking with our correspondent, a former Chairman of Sharks Football Club Supporters Club, Minalinyo Igani said, ‘it was a fine match although the Nigerian players in the first half were a bit relaxed which gave the visitors an advantage”.
Igani however gave kudos to the coaching crew who gave the players pep-talk that made them to wallop their opponents 4-0, as well as commended the officiating of the match, which he said had shown that football is growing in Africa.
A football promoter, Ambassador Miebi Ogunu, who is also the President, Independent  Grassroot Sports Development Assocation opined that although it was a long journey of tactical and technical play, thank God that the journey had started with a step, and wished Rivers United FC successes in their future encounters.
On the officiating, a former Chairman of Rivers State Football Referees Association, Chief Omineokuma Kile said the officiating by the referee was okey and the two penalties awarded the United side were in order according to FIFA rules, and also commended the team for their victory.
However, a pioneer play maker of red Devils of Port Harcourt which metamorphosed to Sharks Football Club said he was not impressed with the performance of the players but that they were just lucky for the first penalty, and charged the coach, Stanley Eguma to brace-up and work hard for the next encounters.

Collins Barsimeye