Rivers United of Port-harcourt have returned Nigeria to the group stage of the CAF Champions League, after defeating hard-fighting Black Bulls of Mozambique 3-2 on aggregate in a return leg of the second preliminary matches played on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, the Akwa-Ibom State capital
Nigerian club last participation in the group stages of the prestigious African clubs competition was in 2019 when Lobi Stars of Makurdi participated after the former CAF Champions, Enyimba International of Aba contested in 2016 with the likes of Zamalek of Egypt and Memolodi of South Africa in group stages
Since 2020 Nigerian clubs have always crashed out of the elite competition or dropped to the group stage of the second tier CAF Confederation where they also struggled to make meaningful impact
But the pride of Rivers ensured Nigeria return to the CAF Champions League group stage with a 3-1 win in the return leg, after their narrow lone-goal loss in the first leg played in Mozambique
Goals from Wasiu Falolu and Maclyn Biokpo gave Rivers United a comfortable lead at the end of halftime before Moctar Diallo reduced the tally for the visitors early in the second half.
However, Timothy Zachariah’s late goal gave the Pride of Rivers the needed margin to progress on the 3-2 aggregate to reach the group stages of Africa’s premier competition.
Having lost the first leg in Matola narrowly, Rivers United started the game brightly before going in front through summer acquisition Wasiu Falolu in the 15th minute, and minutes before the break, Maclyn Biokpo doubled the lead for the Pride of Rivers from the spot. It was the lead they deserved going into the half-time interval.
However, upon resumption of hostilities, the visitors pulled one back through Moctar Diallo just two minutes after the break. With ten minutes from time, former Ikorodu City forward Timohty Zachariah popped up with the decisive goal.
The Pride of Rivers await their opponents in the group stages of the competition on Monday, 3rd November 2025.
The draw will be held at the studios of CAF Broadcast partner SuperSport in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 13h00 (local time).
Similarly, Flamingos put smiles on faces of Nigerians after thrashing the cadet side of Samoa 4-0 in the last round of group matches to secure a place in the round of 16 at the ongoing FIFA under 17 world cup in Morocco
The Nigerian cadet side had earlier lost scandalously 1-4 to Canada and another lone-goal loss to France, before finishing amongst other third best placed teams in the competition
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