Pyramids Punish Rivers United After Second-Half Collapse

Rivers United head coach Finidi George says his team’s 3-0 defeat to Pyramids FC in Cairo came down to poor finishing and costly defensive errors, despite a promising first-half display in their CAF Champions League opener.

The Nigerian side matched the Egyptians early on, keeping the game level before Pyramids returned from the break with greater intensity. The hosts struck in the 52nd minute through Ahmed Atef El Sayed, who scored from close range after a defensive mix-up. Atef added a second five minutes later with a header after connecting with a precise pass from Karim Hafez.

Rivers United struggled to recover, and Pyramids continued to dominate. Atef completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute, finishing calmly from a Mohamed Reda assist to seal a comfortable win for the home side.

Finidi admitted the defeat was frustrating, even though he was satisfied with his team’s early effort. “We played well, but the final touch was not there… their first goal was a mistake from our defender… they gain momentum… from there, the game was over,” he said.

Rivers United now turn their attention to Friday’s home clash against Moroccan giants RS Berkane at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.