Penalty shootouts are nobody’s game goes a popular football maxim but whoever coined that phrase probably never reckoned with the Rivers United goalkeeper, Ospino Egbe.
The maverick shotstopper, in his second season with United, saved three spot kicks in a tense and dramatic shootout to inspire his side to victory against a plucky Futuro Kings in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday.
Rivers United had lost the first leg of the priminary round tie against the Equatoguinean club despite dominating for long stretches in Mongomo a week earlier.
They had no plans to produce a repeat performance at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium as a brisk start culminated in two quickfire efforts beating the Futuro goalkeeper, Manuel Adelhbola Christophe Aifimi, inside the opening 11 minutes.
Remarkably, both efforts, first from Ifeanyi Anaemena and the other from Godwin Aguda, were chalked off for seperate reasons but the hosts continued to pour forward in numbers with menace.
The hosts did not let their heads drop as they torrents of attacks from Blue shirts continued in unrelenting fashion.
The breakthrough inevitably arrived on 12 minutes as the irrepressible Godwin Aguda headed home to level matters on aggregate.
Aguda should have doubled the hosts’ advantage three minutes later but his strike from a tight angle beat Aifimi but whizzed past the far post.
United were flying – they had smelled blood and were unforgiving honing in for the kill – while their shell-shocked visitors continued to hang on for dear life.
Lukman Binuyor, Bakary Bamba and Malachi Ohawume took turns to spurn excellent goalscoring openings for the hosts who continue to create chances at will.
Six minutes before the break, the lead was doubled in deserved fashion as the outstanding Kehinde Adedipe powered home enthrallingly from close range.
It was the least their dominance deserved as they swaggered into the break with a two goal advantage.
Futuro Kings emerged from the interval, a completely transformed team.
They took the fight to their hosts for the first time in the game and admonishing scored with their first opportunity of the afternoon in the 51st minute.
The goal was a thing of beauty as Pedro Oba Mbengono struck with frightening force into the top corner with Egbe barely moving a muscle.
United were stunned into action but wave after wave of Blue tide rising with met with Equatoguinean resistance.
The visitors were reeling, defending for dear life and playing for the shootouts.
Chances continued to come and go for the Pride of Rivers but Anaemena, Ohawume, Stephen Gopey and Bobby Clement failed to hit the Bull’s eye.
Futuro’s Igor Naval played like two humans fused into one!
His tackles were perfection exemplified and his energy levels exemplary as he left by example and most singlehandedly carried his teammates over the line with white knuckle defending and goal line clearances on no less than two occasions.
The seven minutes of second half injury time eventually petered out as Stanley Eguma, the Rivers United manager looked to the heavens, ostensibly seeking divine intervention as he knew his fate was out of his hands.
But he needn’t have panicked as Egbe smiled gleefully, stopping three kicks from the opposition as Bakary Bamba and Kunle Odumlami’s successful kicks proved adequate on the day.
United will now meet the South African side, Bloemfoentain Celtic in the next round.
Eguma shared his thoughts after the game, with drained eyes showing naked relief.
“It was a very very difficult game,” he told SPNAfrica. “They had one chance – against the run of play – while we controlled the entire game.
“I thank my players for digging deep and getting the win and now, we will prepare to face Bloemfoentain Celtic in the next round.
“We want to make Nigerians proud by going as far as we can in the tournament.”
