A win against visiting Sunshine Stars in the rescheduled Matchday 12 fixture is all Rivers United required to book their spot in the Super 6 contest of this season’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), which is in its penultimate week of the group phase.
The champions for 2022/23 will emerge from the Super 6 to be staged in Lagos. The first two teams will play in the CAF Champions League next season, while third placed and the champions of the Federation Cup will represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.
From 15 matches, Rivers United, who exited from the CAF Confederation at the quarterfinals after losing 0-2 to Tanzania’s Young Africans, have 27 points, three points behind leaders Lobi Stars. Victory by any margin in Port Harcourt this evening will see the Pride of Rivers go level on points with the Ortom Boys. Rivers have a superior goal advantage of plus six at the moment as against plus five by Lobi.
Three points in Port Harcourt today will mean their is only one more slot to determine Super 6 teams from Group B as both Rivers and Lobi will have progressed, leaving surprise package Doma United among the contenders. Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors will be the other realistic sides Super 6 chance, while Niger Tornadoes will only go through if all the sides above them capitulate and they helped themselves by beating Bayelsa United on the last day of the regular season.
In the reverse fixture on Matchday 2, Sunshine Stars had to come from behind to share honours with Rivers United, both goals scored by the hosts. First, Andrew Abalogu helped Rivers with an own goal in the 23rd minute, while Ejike Uzoechi converted from the spot to rescue the Akure Gunners six minutes from regulation time.
Group A already has Bendel Insurance in, while the battle for the remaining two spots involves Enyimba, Remo Stars and Akwa United.
