Finidi Says Rivers United Dropped Too Deep, And He Is Right
Lafia · Tuesday 22 September 2026
Rivers United drew 1-1 at Nasarawa United on Sunday night at the Lafia City Stadium. They led on 66 minutes when the Nasarawa defender Harrison Ebah turned the ball into his own net, and they did not hold it. Finidi George said his players made life difficult for themselves by retreating too far, despite his repeated instructions from the touchline.
A manager describing the exact problem, in public
This is more candid than Nigerian coaches usually are after a draw, and more useful. He is not blaming the referee or the pitch as the main cause. He is saying his team defended the lead from thirty yards deeper than instructed, which is a coaching problem and a concentration problem and both are fixable.
The week in full for Finidi
| Fixture | Outcome |
|---|---|
| CAF Champions League, San Pedro at home | Continental tie decided |
| NPFL, away at Nasarawa United | 1-1, lead surrendered late |
Two competitions, one thin squad, a week apart.
He managed the national team. He is now doing the harder job, which is doing it weekly on a domestic budget.
The penalty he also raised
Finidi questioned a penalty decision as well, and Nigerian club football has a long and tired history of managers doing so. The difference here is that he led with his own team's failure and raised the officiating second. That is the right order, and it is rare enough to be worth noting.
Reporting: Premium Times, Complete Sports and Dailysports.
Read next
- Arokodare Says He Is Ready, And The Timing Could Not Be Better
- Manchester City Scored Five, And The Computer Still Likes Arsenal
- Tinubu Is Skipping The UN General Assembly For A Third Year
If you argue about Nigerian football for a living, you may as well dress like it. Caps and tees are in the TalkTalkNigeria store, and Naira pricing is here.
