The second leg of the quarterfinal tie will take place at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium on Sunday, April 30.
Nigerian champions Rivers United have fallen to a 2-0 home defeat to Tanzania’s Young Africans in their 2023 CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC) quarterfinal first-leg fixture.
The fixture played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, saw the Nigerian find difficulty containing a resolute ‘Yanga’ as they conceded to in the second half, and failed to record a shot at goal.
20:54 - 20.04.2023
CAFCC: Rivers United are approaching Young Africans game with new mentality, Eguma says
The Nigerians finished as runners-up in Group B after losing in their final group game to group winners ASEC Mimosas.
Rivers United 0-2 Young Africans: As it happened
Rivers United got paired up with Group D winners Young Africans having finished as runners-up in Group B, behind ASEC Mimosas.
The tie - their third-ever meeting after a qualifying meet in the Champions League in 2021 - was not one expected to produce lots of gaols, and that was the case as chances created in the first half amounted to nought.
Changes effected in the second half, altered the dynamics of the game, however, as the visitors became more fluid than their non-threatening hosts.
In the 73rd minute, Congolese striker Kalala Mayele broke the deadlock for the Young Africans before doubling his team’s advantage seven minutes later, taking his goal tally in the Confederation Cup to five goals.
22:37 - 19.04.2023
Federation Cup: Enyimba, Rivers United clash in the round of 64
NPFL champions Rivers United will go head-to-head with eight-time champions Enyimba in the Federation Cup as national finals begin.
Second leg to hold next Sunday
Defeated, Rivers United will now return leg to be played in Tanzania next week, with the hope of emerging overall winners of the tie to advance to the semifinal of the competition.
Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt club will during the week take on Enyimba in the Round of 64 of Nigeria's Federation Cup, in what would serve as a preparatory tie for their trip to Tanzania.