Rivers United hold AS Real Bamako to goalless draw

Less than 24 hours after Premier league champions   Rangers international held their Algerian counterparts to a 1-1 draw in Algiers, Rivers United have equally risen to the occasion to hold AS Real Bamako of Mali to goalless draw in Bamako in their first leg CAf Champions league tie.

The Garden City side who refused to be intimidated right from the first blast of the whistle held their hosts to a goalless setting   till the end of the first half.  

On resumption of play in the second half Luckman Mohammed sent in a rattler that should have handed the Port Harcourt landlords a goal. From that 47th minute effort by Lukman it was Rivers United effort all the way with another attempt at goal in the 49th. 

When Real Bamako made dangerous incursion however, it was goalkeeper Femi Thomas that stopped rampaging Abdramane Traore from point blank delivery.

Asamoah Godbless came in the 56th minute for  Lukman Mohammed as coach Stanley Eguma appears at this point to believe that he can indeed achieve something better the a draw.

 Zoumana Doumana however saw yellow in the 61st minute for a foul on Traore. 

Not even the introduction of Idrissa Traore in place of Mohammed Sangary could achieve the desperate result being sort by the hosts as Rivers United stood their ground supported by impressive performance from goalkeeper Femi Thomas. 

 A 73rd minutes cross by Salim Bah that looked dangerous was perfectly collected by a very impressive Femi Thomas.

 Allissou Sanou was taken off in a stretcher in the 77th minute but that did not deter Rivers United as replacement Ayobami Asekunowo took off from he stopped mounting pressure on the hosts who were subsequently forced to introduce a Nigerian Folarin Temitope in the 79th minute to see if he can disunite Rivers United but that failed to happen rather that it gingered Coach Stanley Eguma to introduce the Benard Ovoke dubbed the magician”to replace Nzube Anazemba.

 With few minutes to the end of the match the home fans who were visibly disappointed began to exit the Modibo Keita stadium.

There were four crucial minutes of added time which appeared to be the most tensed of all the minutes played so far but a determined   Rivers United players refused to crumble till the last whistle. 

The result gives the Garden city side a better position ahead of the return leg which they stand a good chance of winning