Rivers United Technical Adviser, Finidi George, has expressed his satisfaction after his side secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Rangers in the President Federation Cup.

The thrilling Round of 32 encounter saw Rivers United overcome their Nigeria Premier Football League rivals in a five-goal contest to book a place in the last 16 of the competition.

Chijioke Mbaoma, Wisdom Samuel and Handsome Surveyor found the back of the net for Rivers United, while Rangers responded through goals from Godwin Obaje and Precious Agu.

Despite allowing Rangers back into the contest, Rivers United managed to hold their nerve and score the decisive goal to advance to the next round.

Speaking after the match, Finidi praised his players for their performance and determination.

"We started the game well, and we are happy with the victory.

"The boys did well, and Rangers scored two goals. It was a little bit scrappy towards the end, but we got the winning goal.

"We are happy with the performance. Next is the Round of 16, and we will keep pushing to see where it ends."

The victory keeps Rivers United's hopes of winning silverware alive this season, with a Round of 16 clash against Nasarawa United now awaiting the Port Harcourt-based side.

Focus Shifts to Nasarawa United

Having overcome one of the toughest opponents in the competition, Rivers United will now turn their attention to Nasarawa United in what promises to be another challenging fixture.

The President Federation Cup remains one of the club's most realistic routes to ending the campaign with a trophy, making every knockout match increasingly significant.

For Finidi and his players, momentum will be key as they seek to navigate their way through the remaining rounds.

Opinion: Rivers United Showing the Mentality of Serious Contenders

What stood out most from Rivers United's victory was not just the result, but the character displayed when the game became difficult.

Cup competitions are rarely won through flawless performances. More often, success comes from a team's ability to respond when momentum shifts against them. Rangers twice found ways back into the contest, but Rivers United refused to panic and ultimately found the decisive goal.

Finidi's calm reaction after the match also reflects a coach who understands that knockout football is about progression rather than perfection. While there may be areas to improve defensively, the ability to grind out victories is often what separates contenders from pretenders.

The win against Rangers sends an important message to the rest of the competition. Rivers United possess both attacking quality and resilience, two ingredients that are essential for any team with ambitions of lifting the Federation Cup.

With Nasarawa United next on the horizon, Rivers United have every reason to believe they can continue their journey. If they maintain the same fighting spirit and clinical edge shown against Rangers, they could emerge as one of the favourites to go all the way.