Kwara United's head coach, Tunde Sanni, has expressed frustration over his team's narrow 2-1 loss to Rivers United, citing missed opportunities and questionable officiating as key factors in the defeat. The match, played in Port Harcourt, saw the Afonja Warriors take an early lead, but they ultimately fell short against a resilient Rivers United side.
Speaking after the match, Sanni emphasized that his team’s inability to capitalize on crucial chances was the primary reason for the loss. “We let this game slip away ourselves,” Sanni remarked. “We should have been ahead by at least three goals before they even had a chance to respond. We had plenty of opportunities to finish them off, but we failed to convert them.”
The coach also took aim at what he described as a worrying trend in officiating, pointing to the inconsistent application of rules throughout the game. He noted that Kwara United had received multiple yellow cards without any corresponding penalties for Rivers United, even when their players were involved in similar fouls.
“We were punished for every little mistake, but it felt like the same wasn’t happening to our opponents,” Sanni continued. “In every match, we end up with at least eight yellow cards, and it’s becoming frustrating when the refereeing is so one-sided. This kind of officiating is undermining the game.”
Despite the challenges his team faced, Sanni remained hopeful that they could bounce back in their upcoming fixture. Kwara United will return to their home ground in Ilorin for Matchday 18 of the league, where they will face Katsina United. The coach will be hoping that his players can put the disappointment of their recent loss behind them and convert their chances more effectively in their next outing.
Kwara United’s defeat to Rivers United has raised concerns not only over their own finishing but also about the state of officiating in Nigerian football. With the league getting more competitive, these issues are becoming more pronounced, and Sanni’s comments suggest that a more consistent and fair approach to officiating is necessary to improve the game’s integrity and fairness.
As Kwara United prepare for their next match, their focus will likely be on improving their efficiency in front of goal while hoping for better refereeing to ensure that such frustrations don’t derail their progress in the season.
