Finidi George urges mental toughness after Rivers united concede stoppage-time equaliser against Abia warriors

Rivers United coach Finidi George has called on his players to strengthen their mental resilience following another last-minute setback, as the team was held 1-1 by Abia Warriors in a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match-day 16 clash in Umuahia on Sunday, Sport360NG reports.

The game remained goalless for most of the contest before Maclyn Biokpo broke the deadlock for Rivers United in the 86th minute. Ubong Friday delivered a precise cross that allowed Biokpo to slot past Abia Warriors’ goalkeeper Okiemute Odah, marking his third goal in as many matches. However, Suraj Lawal restored parity deep into stoppage time, capitalising on space in Rivers’ six-yard box to deny the visitors a crucial win.

A victory in Umuahia would have propelled Rivers United to the top of the NPFL table, despite having played two games fewer than their closest rivals. The late concession mirrored a similar collapse the Port Harcourt side experienced in the CAF Champions League against RS Berkane two weeks ago, leaving Finidi frustrated.

“It’s all about concentration. What can be done? I don’t know, but we just have to keep working and get stronger mentally to manage games as they near the end,” Finidi said after the draw.

“It’s not about physicality; it’s about managing the game mentally. At that stage, it’s not the coach who will manage that for you. We made adjustments to strengthen the midfield, and when you have possession, you need to protect it. Kick the ball out if necessary. It’s unfortunate that the goal came at that time. We came here to win, and at one point, we were ahead, maybe the players weren’t prepared for that.”

With Sunday’s result, Rivers United sit third in the NPFL with 27 points from 14 matches. They are next scheduled to face Plateau United in a rescheduled fixture on Thursday.