Desmond Iwuchukwu
Head Coach of Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt Edwin Okon has said that the team will bounce back to winning ways after its Nigeria Women Football League Premiership defeat to Bayelsa Queens in Yenagoa on matchday one of the competition.
Goals from Juliet Sunday and Mary Aderemi handed Rivers Angels her first loss in Matchday 1 of the NWFL.
The eight-time Champions started the game on a brilliant note but faltered in the 78th minute as Mamuzo Edafe lost possession to Flourish Sabastian who drove past Akudo Ogbonna and put a cross to Juliet Sunday who headed home to break the deadlock.
Mary Aderemi doubled the lead for the host in injury time to ensure the Jewel Of Rivers suffered an opening-day defeat in the NWFL Premiership.
Rivers Angels had opportunities from Blessing Okpe and Chiamaka Okwuchukwu in the first half but their efforts failed to beat goalkeeper Gabrielle Bawou.
During his post-match reaction, head coach Edwin Okon said the final result wasn’t the true reflection of the game.
“I want to start by commending my girls for a good game today, they gave it their all and I’m truly proud of them. This is the first game of the season, so it’s a marathon and I’m so sure of the league this time around.
“We are champions any day, the result today didn’t do justice to our performance. We lost concentration and conceded those goals but we are going back to work on the lapses discovered in the team and do better going forward.
“Our attention now is on the next game at home and we hope to make up for the loss we suffered today when we host Osun Babes”, he summed.
Rivers Angels will next face Osun Babes in Matchday 2 of the Nigeria Women Football League Premiership on December 7 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium.
