Rivers United were defeated 2-0 at home by Tanzania’s Young Africans in the first leg of their 2023 CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC) quarterfinal.
The game, which took place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, saw the Nigerians struggle to contain a tenacious ‘Yanga,’ as they succumbed in the second half and failed to record a shot on goal.
The Pride of Rivers were paired with Group D champions Young Africans after finishing second in Group B behind ASEC Mimosas.
The match, their third encounter after a qualifying match in the Champions League in 2021 but both sides are featuring in the quarter-finals of a CAF competition for the first time in their histories, was not expected to yield many goals, and that was the case, as chances made in the first half amounted to nothing.
However, changes made in the second half transformed the game’s dynamics, as the visitors became more fluid than their non-threatening hosts.
Congolese attacker Kalala Mayele broke the deadlock for the Tanzanian side in the 73rd minute before increasing his team’s lead seven minutes later, bringing his Confederation Cup goal count to five.
Defeated, Rivers United will now return leg to be played in Tanzania next week, with the hope of emerging overall winners of the tie to advance to the semifinal of the competition.
