‘We lost it in 20 minutes’: Olanrewaju laments Rivers United exit from CAF Champions League

Rivers United assistant coach Daniel Olanrewaju has admitted that his team effectively lost the CAF Champions League tie against FC San Pedro within the first 20 minutes, despite pulling off a spirited comeback in the second leg in Uyo.

Sports247 reports that Rivers United drew 2-2 against the Ivory Coast team in the second leg, but the result was not enough to reverse the score of the first meeting, as San Pedro advanced on aggregate with away goal rules.

Reflecting on the disappointing elimination, Olanrewaju acknowledged that his team was expecting a difficult match, but identified their early defensive failures as the decisive moment of the tie.

“It’s a difficult match, we expected it. We lost the match after conceding two goals in the first 20 minutes,” said Olanrewaju.

According to the Rivers United assistant coach, conceding two goals so early against a quality continental rival left his team with an uphill task.

“I think that’s where we lost. In a continental game, it’s not easy to recover,” he added.

Rivers United showed character in Uyo by fighting back to secure a 2-2 draw but the comeback came too late to rescue their Champions League campaign.

Olanrewaju stressed that the intensity and tactical demands of continental football are significantly different from those of the domestic league, making it especially difficult for a team to recover from an early setback.

“This is not NPFL,” he noted.

The manager also paid tribute to San Pedro, describing the Ivorian team as one of the strongest teams Rivers United have faced, both tactically and individually.

“This is one of the best teams, tactically and talent-wise. Honestly, it’s unfortunate,” he said.

The elimination means Rivers United will now turn their attention to their domestic campaign as they reflect on the lessons of their continental experience.

For Olanrewaju and the Rivers United coaching team, the challenge will be to address the defensive failings that proved costly against San Pedro and ensure the team can compete more effectively in future CAF competitions.

Despite the elimination, the comeback in Uyo demonstrated the team’s resilience, but the initial damage had already put the Nigerian representatives in a difficult position.

For Rivers United, the continental campaign ended in disappointment, but the experience against a tactically successful San Pedro could prove valuable as they continue their quest for success on both the domestic and continental fronts.