Rivers United fell 1-0 to Bayelsa United in a keenly contested South-South derby at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa on Sunday. An own goal by captain Temple Emekayi in the 12th minute proved decisive.
The loss saw Rivers United drop to second place on the NPFL table, with eight-time champions Rangers International moving to the top following their 2-0 home win over Nasarawa United. Rivers United still have three outstanding fixtures to play.
Technical adviser Finidi George remained resolute and optimistic about the team’s objectives. 
Key quotes from Finidi George:
“If losing to Bayelsa United will give us the league title, I’ll accept it.”
“We know the purpose of our campaign this season is to win the league. It’s quite unfortunate that we lost today.”