A domestic rivalry takes the continental stage

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It is highly unlikely for an Elephant to take on the combination of a Shark and Dolphin; however, football offers us the opportunity to witness such a confrontation straight from Nat Geo Wild.

Enyimba of Aba, otherwise known as the People’s Elephant, is Nigeria’s most successful football club with eight top flight titles, four Federation’s Cups, and two CAF Champions League trophies; the only Nigerian team to win the CAF Champions League square up against Rivers United; a team from the Oil-rich state of Rivers State.

Rivers United is a merger of two relatively successful clubs from the city of Port Harcourt; Sharks FC and Dolphins FC, two of the biggest teams in the state were merged to form what we now know as Rivers United.

Before the merger; Dolphins was the more successful of the two with three top-flight league titles and four cups; Sharks were always in their shadow suffering relegation in 2015 which eventually led to the merger of both sides by the Rivers State government, the owners of the clubs.

The disruption of the 2019/2020 season due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the gross ineptitude of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Company (LMC) set the tone for the exportation of this domestic rivalry.

A controversy on final placement for the CAF Champions League pitted Enyimba and Rivers United; using the points per game matrix; it left both teams tied with only one game played in their head to head confrontation, but somehow the NFF and LMC in their wisdom put forward Enyimba as the country’s second representative in the CAF Champions League.

Of course, there was an uproar from many quarters who felt Rivers United had been short-changed; eventually, the Rivers State team accepted the decision despite initial threats to seek redress from the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

Fast forward to many months later; The People’s Elephant were knocked out of the prestigious CAF Champions League, failing to make the group stage; hence dropping to the less fancied CAF Confederations Cup. A humourous twist of fate has drawn Enyimba against Rivers United in the final round before the group stage of the competition.

Now to give this more context, is the fact that two of Enyimba’s top players (Theophilus Afelokhai and Ifeanyi Anaemena) made the switch to Rivers United at the start of the season, greatly strengthening the Port Harcourt side and also ensured both teams are the teams to beat on the domestic scene with just 3 points separating them.

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The first leg was played in Aba on Valentine’s day with little sign of love nor brotherliness displayed from either side. Enyimba takes a slim 1-0 advantage to Port Harcourt but will be without Tosin Omoyele after his red card for violent conduct. Omoyele’s absence is a big loss for the Aba Elephants which somewhat tilts the advantage in favour of Rivers United.

The second leg promises to be an explosive encounter with Enyimba’s ”sugar ball” brand of football aiming to continue its reign as the preferred Nigeria representative on the continent up against a more dogged and resolute Rivers United. In comparison, the coaches are cut from different clothes; River United’s Stanley Eguma is an old warhorse with a lot of miles on his back and a past relationship with Enyimba which just thickens the plot.

He is the longest-serving manager on the Nigerian domestic scene as we speak; whilst Fatai Osho is more or less a new kid on the block. Enyimba is Osho’s first big appointment after spells at Crown FC and Remo Stars in the second tier of Nigerian football.

The brand of football is different; with Enyimba renowned for playing the better football, the Port Harcourt lads are more dogged and physical. One thing to look out for is the keenest of both things to hit forward strides in quick transitions; expect the play to switch from side to side in quick succession for most of the match. There will be no letting off from either side; there is a lot at stake.

With the absence of Tosin Omoyele, Rivers United head into this tie as favourites and I believe they will extract full value for the tag to grab qualification to the group stage of the CAF Confederations Cup.

Players to watch – Enyimba 

Austin Oladapo, Cyril Olisema, Anayo Emmanuel Iwuala.

Players to watch – Rivers United

Ifeanyi Anaemena, Godwin Aguda, Fortune Omoniwari.

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