Rivers United put unbeaten record aside as points become priority

Rivers United assistant coach Yemi Olanrewaju says the club are concentrating on collecting as many points as possible in the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season, rather than protecting their unbeaten record.

The Port Harcourt side remain the only team yet to lose in the league this season after a goalless draw with Barau FC on Monday. The Matchday 9 fixture was played in Port Harcourt, where Rivers United were held to a stalemate despite their standing as the league’s last unbeaten team.

Olanrewaju said the squad remained determined to improve on its performance from the previous campaign, but insisted that their record without defeat was not the main issue for the team.

“I think we are prepared; this is Rivers United. The pressure is on us to do well this season, more than we did last season,” Olanrewaju told the club’s media.

“For us, we are not even looking at the unbeaten run; it doesn’t really matter. We just want to get as many points as possible.”

The assistant coach said Rivers United’s approach was based first on defensive discipline, arguing that avoiding a goal conceded would prevent the team from losing.

“The key thing for us is not to concede. If you don’t concede, you can’t lose a game. That’s our philosophy,” he added.

The draw against Barau FC means Rivers United’s unbeaten sequence remains intact, but Olanrewaju’s comments underline the club’s emphasis on improving their points tally rather than focusing on that distinction.

Their next assignment will come in a South-South derby against Bendel Insurance on Sunday. The fixture will be played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City and is expected to provide Rivers United with another opportunity to strengthen their position in the NPFL.

Rivers United will therefore switch attention from the result against Barau FC to their meeting with Bendel Insurance, with the coaching staff maintaining that the priority is to secure points while preserving the defensive record that has kept them from defeat this season.