Rivers United F.C. concluded their CAF Champions League group stage campaign with a heavy 3–0 defeat to Moroccan side RS Berkane on Saturday, bringing a difficult continental journey to a close.
Finidi George’s men struggled throughout the encounter, finding it difficult to create clear scoring opportunities and failing to match the clinical efficiency of their North African hosts.
Youssef Mehri broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, capitalizing on defensive hesitation to put RS Berkane ahead. Just before halftime, Paul Bassene doubled the advantage, delivering a psychological blow that left Rivers United chasing the game after the interval. Bassene struck again in the 53rd minute, effectively sealing the contest and extinguishing any hope of a comeback.
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The result confirmed RS Berkane’s qualification for the quarter-finals, underlining their dominance in the group. In the other group fixture, defending champions Pyramids FC secured a 3–1 victory over Power Dynamos FC to finish top with 16 points.
For Rivers United, the campaign ends with one draw and five defeats, a record that reflects the challenges Nigerian clubs continue to face on the continental stage. Despite moments of resilience, the Port Harcourt side ultimately lacked the cutting edge and composure required at this elite level of African competition.
Attention now turns back to domestic duties as Rivers United aim to rebuild confidence and focus on their ambitions in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
