Rivers United kept their hold of the top spot in the 2021/22 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after making a light work of Niger Tornadoes in a 3-0 win. It was a MatchDay 24 encounter played at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium on Monday. 
After their second defeat of the season last match day  which slowed down their push for the title, Rivers United needed a big statement and they showed class and made a big claim on the title with this result. 
Some cagey opening moments saw both sides trying to outsmart each other but the game would soon open up after the half hour mark when Rivers United got on the goal sheet. Morice Chukwu had teed up leading goal scorer Ishaq Kayode to break the deadlock in the 31st minute. 
Two minutes later, Nyima Nwagua doubled the lead to take the steam out of the visitors which their coach, Abubakar Bala Mohammed felt was responsible for the defeat.
“It was a bad day. We came with a very good match plan and played very well but along the line around 30-33 minutes, we conceded two goals in the space of three minutes due to defensive lapses. The quick goals broke us down.
“This is one of our worst games since we began this season but there’s no shame in that as we lost to a very good side and we’ll go and work on the lapses.seen today”, he said.

Nelson Esor who replaced Chiamaka Mafu in first half, came in and put up a man of the man performance with two assists and was very excited with his contribution to the team. 
” I’m very happy that I came in and gave two assists. It was a nice and good game, we got the three maximum points with three goals. We played with a lot of confidence and courage playing at home”, Esor told www.npfl.ng
He has been a regular feature in the team since he joined from Go Round FC four years ago and is confident that River United will emerge champions come the end of the season. 
“We’re already there leading the log with four points. We’ll keep the momentum on without slowing down the pace. Keep moving till the end of the season and I believe at the end, we’ll emerge champions”, he told NPFL media.
But Esor also thinks it is not yet time to celebrate warning that the job is not yet completed.

“We don’t need to relent but to keep fighting, doing more hard work, remember they say hard work pays, so we’ll keep fighting till the end”.
Despite maximum points, Rivers United’s four points lead did not increase as their closest rivals Plateau United also won at home in Jos to keep up the chase. Rivers United are on 55 points after 25 games and next travel to Ilorin to take on Kwara United.

Man Of The Match – Nelson Esor
FT: Rivers United 3-0 Niger Tornadoes 
⚽ Ishaq Kayode 31′      Nyima Nwagua 33′       Konan Ruffin  80′
STATS Attempts: 12-4On target: 8-1Fouls: 15-17Corner kick: 5-2Cautions: 1-2Offside:2-3
Rivers United XI 
Sochima Victor, Kazie Enyinnaya, Chidiebube Duru(Konan Ruffin 79′), Morice Chukwu, Temple Emekayi, Fabian Nworie, Ishaq Rafiu Kayode(Olatunbosun Sikitu 67′), Akuneto Chijioke(Okuruket Solomon 67′), Nyima Nwagua(Ovoke Bernard 79′),, Chiamaka Mafu (Nelson Esor 32′), Onoja Joseph
Unused Subs
Afelokhai Theophilus, Yusuf Omotayo Sikiru, Lookman Binuyo, Festus Austin 
Coach Stanley Eguma
Niger Tornadoes XI

Lucky Abdullahi, Jimmy Abdul, Debo Fashanu(Musa Wakili 47′), Mohammed Hussaini, Sunday Akinmoladun, Abiodun Adebayo, Chinedu Ufere( Abdurazak Yusuf 71′),    Ifeanyi Okoye(Nojeem Adeyinka 47′), Segun Alebiosu, Lukman Mohammed(Edoh Echeme 37′), Emmanuel Jonas

Unused Subs

George Michael, Bolaji Adeyemo, Moses Ugwu,  Christian Nwabueze, Yusuf Abdulrazak

Coach Abubakar Bala Mohammed.  

  Nelson Esor, Niger Tornadoes, NPFL, NPFL22, Plateau United, Rivers United