Edibi confident Rivers United will hold Al-Merriekh
Nigeria’s retired FIFA referee, Peter Egan Edibi has expressed confidence that Rivers United will get a good result against Al-Merriekh of Sudan in today’s return leg of the final preliminary round clash of the CAF Champions League.
Rivers United are going into the encounter with a 3-0 advantage and they need to avoid conceding more than two unreplied goals to progress to the group stage.
A brace from Ivorian Guy Kuemain and a goal from Midfielder Esosa Igninoba gave the ‘Pride of Rivers’ a convincing win in the first leg last Sunday in Port-Harcourt.
In a brief chat with on Saturday, Edibi who is on the delegation of the Nigerian representatives to Sudan said the players are in high spirits.
The most successful Nigerian football referee said from all indications Rivers United are not taking anything for granted as they are approaching the match as if they lost the first leg.
He said the technical crew and players of Rivers United have promised to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League to justify the massive support they have enjoyed so far.
“I am with the team in Sudan and I can confirm that the spirit in the camp of Rivers United is quite high.
“The players are eagerly looking forward to tomorrow’s (today) match. They are not thinking about the past result.
“Nobody ready to take chances. Al-Merriekh are a formidable side and if undermined, the result won’t be good. This is what the players and coaches of Rivers United know very well.
“I am here to give them moral support. Having traversered the length and breadth of Africa in my active days as a FIFA referee, I know one or two secrets about international football, “he said.
Enugu Rangers the other club representing Nigeria in the CAF Champions League will face an uphil task against Egyptian giants Zamalek in Enugu.
They lost the first leg 1-4 in Cairo last Sunday.