Rivers United technical manager, Stanley Eguma says his charges will need to display remarkable improvements if they are to reach the playoff round of the 2020-21 CAF Confederation Cup.
The Nigerian club required penalties to squeeze past Equatoguinean club, Futuro Kings in the preliminary round after both clubs had tied 3-3 on aggregate after both legs.
Eguma says the club’s opponents in the first round, Bloemfoentain Celtic will represent sterner opposition and has warned his players to improve ahead of the first round tie against the South Africans.
“We were clearly superior against Futuro Kings over two legs,” Eguma told SPNAfrica. “They scored two freak goals against the run of play in the first leg and in the second leg, they had only one chance and scored with it.
“On the other hand, we had over 30 goal attempts in the two legs, three disallowed goals but only scored three.
“We have to be more clinical and learn to take our chances.
“The truth is that we were very poor in the aspect of finishing off our opportunities and must do better in the next round because Bloemfoentain Celtic are a much better team compared to Futuro Kings.”
Eguma then discussed the situation involving two of his most experienced players, Theophilus Afelokhai and captain, Festus Austine who missed the second leg of the preliminary round game against Futuro Kings.
“Afelokhai picked up a hamstring injury in pre-season and we did not want to risk him,” he revealed. “Austine had a slight knock in the first leg against Futuro Kings.
“We are assessing both players and the belief is that they will be back in time for the second leg.”
Rivers United will travel to South Africa to face Bloemfoentain Celtic in the first leg of the Confederation Cup clash on December 22-23 with the return leg coming up on the weekend of January 5-6, 2021.
