For Rivers United, this is the point where ambition must confront reality, and where belief must outweigh circumstance.
Ahead of their Matchday Three CAF Champions League group-stage clash against Zambia’s Power Dynamos, head coach Finidi George faced the media in Ndola with a message that was clear, defiant, and rooted in long-term vision: Rivers United are not here to survive, they are here to compete.
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A group at breaking point
With two defeats from their opening two games, Rivers United sit at a delicate juncture in Group A. Power Dynamos, their hosts in Zambia, are in the same position, winless and desperate. That symmetry makes this encounter pivotal. Matchday Three marks the halfway point of the group phase, where qualification hopes are either revived or quietly extinguished.
For Finidi, the equation is simple: risk is unavoidable.
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“I think it’s going to be an interesting game. Day two, I’ve lost two games. We have lost two games, so we expect both teams to try and win the game.”
Despite the away setting, the former Super Eagles winger insists fear has no place in Rivers United’s approach.
“Even if it’s an away game for us, I think we have nothing to lose, so we have to approach the game if we want to have something in this tournament.
We have to approach it to go for a win.”
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A must-win mentality
Finidi’s tone was unmistakably assertive. This is not a team arriving to manage damage.
“We’re going in with that mindset that we’re going to match them and see how we can get the best result here. Like I said earlier, even though it’s an away match for us, we have to approach it positively with that mindset to get a good result here.”
He underlined the stakes once more:
“Day 3, we want to win. We have lost two games each, so it’s for both teams to see how we can get a good result here. For them, they want to win as well because they are playing at home. We want to approach the game in the best way possible.”
Beyond the match: Finidi’s bigger African lesson
The Rivers United coach went beyond tactics, using the platform to reflect on African football’s shifting power balance, particularly the rise of North African nations.
“Starting from the youth, I think what the North Africans have done over a decade ago, I think they started a youth programme, which is paying off today.”
He pointed to a system built on patience rather than shortcuts.
“You can see the 20s, the 17s, even the national team. That is where we are lacking behind. They had the patience to start a youth programme, and now they are reaping.”
According to Finidi, success is deliberate, not accidental.
“It’s paying. Now they can pick players from everywhere in their youth team. They are enjoying the best time of football.”
His call was direct and instructive:
“I think other countries must emulate what they have done in the past. Start a youth programme under 10. You will not have that immediate result, but if you have patience, in 10 years’ time, you will catch up.”
Reality of continental football
Finidi acknowledged the gulf between domestic success and continental consistency.
“When it comes to international football, it’s a different ball game. You need a lot, not just playing good locally.”
Experience, he stressed, is non-negotiable.
“From the last time Rivers played in the continent, and the present group of players, you need the experience in international football as well.”
Still, his belief remains intact.
“We are getting there. It comes slowly, but we will get there.”
And when asked about historical trends against Nigerian teams:
“You can’t really say it’s going to be another victory for them. If they have won against the best Nigerian team consecutively, then you can say they have that potential.”
Captain’s voice: No tourists here
Club captain Temple Emekayi echoed his coach’s defiance, insisting Rivers United arrived in Zambia with intent, not excuses.
“The players in Rivers United are very much happy to be here in Zambia, and they are coming with their A game.”
His message was blunt:
“We didn’t come here for sightseeing, and the morale in camp is very high.”
Despite the pressure of two losses, Emekayi dismissed any notion of panic.
“Yes, we’ve lost two games, just like Power Dynamo. We are not under pressure. We are here to play football.”
He added:
“This is not our first time playing at this stage. We don’t need a particular plan for it.”
And for supporters back home:
“We really need their support back home, and they should be expecting something good from us all the way from Zambia to Nigeria.”
READ ALSO: NPFL: Finidi expresses mixed feelings as Rivers United grind out another win
A game that could define the campaign
For Rivers United, this is more than Matchday Three. It is a test of belief, identity, and readiness for the unforgiving standards of African club football.
As Finidi put it simply:
“It’s a different ball game. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
In Ndola, today could change everything.
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