Rivers United head coach Finidi George has praised his players’ resilience after they edged newly crowned Nigeria Premier Football League champions Rangers International 3-2 in a thrilling President Federation Cup Round of 32 clash that lived up to its billing as a potential final before the final.
The heavyweight encounter brought together two sides who had battled relentlessly for the NPFL title until the final day of the season, with Rangers ultimately pipping Rivers United to the crown by a single point.
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Still hurting from that narrow title disappointment, Rivers United responded emphatically, eliminating the Flying Antelopes from the Federation Cup and keeping alive their hopes of ending the season with silverware.
Speaking after the pulsating contest, Finidi expressed satisfaction with both the result and his team’s performance, particularly their dominant first-half display.
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“We started the game well. We are happy with the victory in the first place. The first half was very, very good,” Finidi told reporters.
“We scored two goals. In the second half, I told them to at least keep the ball properly, defend well, and see how, after 20 minutes, the game will slow down. But yea, Rangers came back and they scored two goals.”
After taking control of the game early, Rivers United were forced to dig deep as Rangers mounted a spirited comeback, turning the tie into a tense battle in the closing stages.
“It was a little bit scrappy in the last 10 minutes. At the end of the day, we got that victory. We are happy with it,” Finidi added.
“We are up next in the round of 16. We are happy with it and we will keep pushing to see where we end up.”
Finidi backs the match-winner to deliver more
The decisive moment came from substitute Handsome Surveyor, whose late intervention proved enough to separate both sides and send Rivers United into the next round.
Finidi revealed the coaching crew always believed the forward could make a decisive impact, which informed the decision to introduce him during the contest.
“We knew he has that luck as well,” the former Super Eagles winger said.
“That’s why we brought him in. At the end of the day, he got that goal for us, the winner. We are quite happy. We will keep encouraging him to see how he can help us as well.”
The winning strike not only secured qualification but also handed Rivers United a measure of revenge against the side that denied them the league title just days earlier.
Nasarawa United await in Round of 16
Having survived one of the toughest fixtures possible at this stage of the competition, Rivers United will now turn their attention to a Round of 16 showdown against Nasarawa United.
The Solid Miners had a far less demanding route into the next round after advancing without kicking a ball, following the failure of Osun State-based Ejigbo City to honour their scheduled fixture.
With Rangers now out of the competition, Rivers United’s victory has further strengthened the belief that Finidi’s men can go all the way and turn the pain of their title near miss into Federation Cup glory.
Other results
Former champions Enyimba and Bendel Insurance booked their places in the Round of 16 of the 2026 President Federation Cup after securing victories in Wednesday’s Round of 32 fixtures across the country.
Enyimba edged Gombe United 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter, while Bendel Insurance defeated Crown FC 3-1 to continue their impressive run in Nigeria’s oldest domestic cup competition.
Elsewhere, El-Kanemi Warriors survived a stern test from Akwa United, advancing 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Kada Warriors also prevailed in a shootout, defeating Shooting Stars 4-5 on penalties following a 1-1 stalemate.
Nasarawa United recorded one of the most emphatic wins of the round with a 3-0 triumph over Ejigbo City, while Plateau United secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Kogi United. Ikorodu City also progressed comfortably after a 2-0 win over Jigawa Golden Stars.
In other matches, Bida Lions stunned Warri Wolves 2-0, Wikki Tourists overcame Bayelsa United 3-1, Barau FC edged Abakaliki FC 1-0, and Sokoto United pulled off a surprise 1-0 victory over Kwara United.
Penalty drama was also witnessed in the clashes involving Flight FC and Mighty Jets, with Flight FC advancing 5-4 after a 1-1 draw, while FC Basira defeated Ingas FC 8-7 on penalties following another 1-1 stalemate.
The Round of 32 results have set up an intriguing race for the coveted President Federation Cup title as the remaining teams now turn their attention to the Round of 16.
Round 16 of 2026 President Federation Cup Fixtures
Sunshine Stars U19 🆚 Barau FC
Ikorodu City 🆚 Enyimba
Plateau United 🆚 FC Basira
Sokoto United 🆚 Adamawa United
Bendel Insurance 🆚 El-Kanemi Warriors
Kada Warriors 🆚 Wikki Tourists
Bida Lions 🆚 Flight FC
Rivers United 🆚 Nasarawa United
