Rivers Utd Happy With Victory, Rangers Blame Poor Preparation

Rivers United’ captain has expressed satisfaction with their 2-0 advantage over the Rwandans ahead of the return leg.
Austin Festus has stated that Rivers United are satisfied with their 2-0 home win over Rayon Sports in the first leg of their Caf Confederation Cup playoff  tie in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
He said there won’t be a repeat of the last months collapse in Omdurman against Al Merreikh as they hope to put up a good display in Kigali which will earn them a place in the group stage.
“We are happy with the 2-0 advantage and we are sure there won’t a repeat of what happened in Sudan,’’ Festus told newsmen.
We have learnt our lessons from what transpired there and have put it behind us. They (Rayon Sports) came all out to neutralize our tactics but we proved to be superior and I do not see them beating us in the return leg.’’
Meanwhile, Christain Madu has said that Enugu Rangers are currently paying the price for poor preparations before the commencement of their continental assignment this year.
After 32 years the Flying Antelopes won their first Nigeria Professional Football League silverware in the 2015/16 season, but have been a shadow of themselves in the following season.
They crashed out of the Caf Champions League and the Confederation Cup both at the preliminary stages, and the midfielder says the management’s failure to streghten the squad remains their major undoing.
“We are affected by our lack of preparation from day we were crowned champions last season,”Madu told newsmen.
“We have nothing more to fight for other than redeeming our image in the Nigerian league and fight our way out of our current position on the table.
“And everyone will have to do their part to make sure we are out of this position we are right now.
“It is a difficult situation for us but with God we will overcome this period because no condition is permanent.”
He further stated that he is receiving offers from so many clubs but intends to see out his contract with the Enugu outfit.
“I have so many clubs looking for my signature but I want to see out my contract with Rangers before deciding what my next step will be, but right now, I remain a Flying Antelope.”