Rivers United assistant coach Daniel Olanrewaju thinks that his side’s CAF Champions League campaign was over before it really began in their second-leg duel against FC San Pedro.
The Pride of Rivers salvaged a 2-2 draw in the return leg, but it wasn’t enough to get to the next stage of the CAF tournament as the Ivorian side progressed 4-2 on aggregate.
Speaking to Soka25East after the game, Olanrewaju admitted that the early goals conceded in the game put the team at a big disadvantage. “It’s a very difficult game; we knew the game was difficult. We lost the game in the first 20 minutes after conceding two goals.
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We struggled when we conceded the two goals,” he said. Olanrewaju added that nothing can prepare a team for such a setback at continental level. “You can’t prepare for it at this level.
In continental games, if you make one mistake, it will definitely punish you.” Asked if it will be challenging to lift the players after the defeat, the assistant coach, who doubles as Rivers United’s head of technical and development, said the players knew what was needed when going down to ten men.
“We went into the game with 10 men. So we played the second half with 10 men. Honestly, the players know what is needed; it is in their heads,” he said. Rivers United will now focus on the NPFL. The technical crew, however, will work on the defensive lapses, which were more exposed in a tie.
