Rivers United put up their worst display of the season on Sunday in a 0-2 loss to Wikki Tourists at the Pantami Stadium as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) entered Match Day 11.
Wikki started in edgy fashion against a Rivers United side with one change from their last game against Katsina United in Port Harcourton March 6.
The Port Harcourt side looked, by far, the more accomplished side early on and could have easily taken the lead had Christian Weli had scored in the 12th minute.
The Rivers United midfielder however placed a free header fromsix yards out, inches wide following an exquisitely delivered free kick by Peter Ubakanma.
That miss by Weli stung the hosts into action as Promise Damala crept into the visitors’ box two minutes later before firing a fierce effort that just whizzed wide off the right-hand side of Drissa Bamba’s goal.
Damala’s miss from the gilt-edged opportunity was a premonition that United failed to heed because six minutes later, Wikki took the lead with Abba Umar firing in a stunning effort off the crossbar from the edge of the box.
The home side went on to boss the rest of the half with the visitors looking threatening in fits and starts.
Head coach of Wikki Tourists, Ali Zubairu praised his charges for the win while identifying Weli’s first half miss as the turning point in the game.
“Rivers United is a very experienced side. We were lucky because they had the first chance of the game and if they had taken their opportunities, particularly the first chance of the game when one of their players (headed wide from close range), it could have been a different game.