Rivers United begin their CAF Champions League campaign this weekend with a tough but exciting Matchday 1 showdown against defending champions Pyramids FC in Cairo, Egypt, as Africa’s elite club competition officially gets underway.
The opening round of fixtures promises excitement and action ahead of the tournament’s AFCON break in December and January.
For Rivers United, the clash headlines Group A and presents an early opportunity to test their continental ambition against one of the competition’s strongest sides.
The Pride of Rivers travel with defensive solidity and improved attacking sharpness following a confidence-boosting league win.
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Head coach Finidi George says the team is approaching the contest with belief and renewed momentum. “I’m quite happy that we have scored two; maybe by the next game, we can score three,” Finidi said after their latest victory. “Let’s take it one game at a time. We just have to enjoy this now and focus on Pyramids.”
Pyramids, led by Krunoslav Jurčić, will be without key players Ramadan Sobhi, Osama Galal and Mostafa Fathi, but still boast a strong core including goalkeeper Ahmed El-Shenawy, midfielder Walid El Karti and striker Fiston Mayele.
For Rivers United, it is a statement opportunity, a chance to show resilience, organisation and attacking intent against last season’s champions. The team remains determined to make a strong start as they push for a deep run in this year’s competition.
CAF