Two well taken goals in the first half was all it took Rivers United to put to sword an indifferent Niger Tornadoes side in a Matchday 9 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) encounter at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The Pride of Rivers started brighter in the opening moments and almost took the lead as early as the 3rd minute when a good team build up found Chikere Osita free in the opponents’ box with only Tornadoes goalkeeper Mustapha Aliko to beat, the latter made a good reflex save to keep his side in the game.
The ‘Ikoh Allah’ slowly got into the groove and marched their hosts by covering every blade of the grass and contesting every ball while sharing the ball possession in a balanced game. Lukman Raji took an audacious strike from about 25 yards that almost rattled goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi of Rivers United but he reacted quickly to make a save by the upright.
With nothing to separate both sides, Tornadoes conceded a corner kick in the 16th minute. Bernard Ovoke stepped forward and sent a delightful corner kick into the box that almost missed everybody but Osita popped up from the back post and headed the ball beyond Aliko for the opener.
Twelve minutes later, one became two as Emeka Ogbugh returning after his exploit at the 2018 CHAN in Morocco with the Super Eagles and playing his first league game this season announced his arrival by scoring a well struck free kick from the edge of the box to double United’s lead.
Osita could have had his brace and taken the game beyond Tornadoes but after shrugging off his marker and through on goal, Aliko made a point blank save to keep the score line respectable.
Eric Frimpong was put through on goal with a defence-splitting pass from Yahaya Lukas in the 34th minute but Sunday Rotimi stood his ground to make a brilliant save to deny the visitors a lifeline before the break. The first half ended 2-0 to Rivers United.
Tornadoes with a mountain to climb in the second half could not fathom a way out of their plight despite changes by their head coach Erasmus Onuh to get something from the game. The closest they got was in the 55th minute when Frimpong was through on goal but could not get the ball past Rotimi.
United created more scoring opportunities but could not increase the tally as Ogbugh and substitute Guy Kuemian Venance missed from close range while Ochowechi Salefu was denied by a desperate block in the 76th minute.
Rivers United held on to their two-goal lead to take all three points while improving their position on the league table. They travel to Ilorin for a Matchday 10 encounter in search of their first away point(s