United at war as Rivers confront Akwa in P/H

Football matches involving Rivers United and Akwa United always produce exciting spectacles.
This evening both sides will serve off yet another instalment of this fast-developing rivalry and the stakes couldn’t have been any higher.
The ‘Pride of Rivers’ will climb to the top half of the table (and go level, on points with their high-flying opponents) with a win on Thursday but claiming maximum points against the ‘Promise Keepers’ never comes easy irrespective of where the contest is decided.
Tutored by ‘Professor of aesthetic football’, Abdul Maikaba, Akwa United is one of the most-feared teams in the division
The mantra of the Uyo club is straightforward; ‘treat the ball like a piece of Gold’ and make the opposition feel it’s ‘a piece of soap’.
Maikaba, a lifelong FC Barcelona/Pep Gurdiola fan, loves possession-based football, an act he perfected at former club, Wikki Tourists as he led the unheralded Bauchi outfit to a remarkable third-placed finish in his final season in charge
The experienced trainer will arrive in Port Harcourt with one thing in mind; victory
That will in itself, represent a monumental feat, as Akwa United have never beaten Rivers United since the merger was announced in February 2016
Four meetings in the last two seasons between the sides have yielded two defeats and two draws for Thursday’s visitors at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium and Maikaba will be desperate to claim important scalp for obvious reasons.
“Maybe, this will be the first time we will defeat Rivers United,” Maikaba said after coming back from Sudan where his wards lost 2-0 to Ah Hilal in the Confederation Cup.
“I may rest some players but the objective remains the same; we want to win.
On their own Rivers United are down to bare bones and this is probably the worst time to face the star-spangled Akwa..
Club captain, Festus Austine, midfielder, Ochowechi ‘Oche’ Salefu and striker, Guy Kuemian are likely to miss today’s game no thanks to varying degrees of indisposition.
Right back, Markson Ojobo is also likely to miss out while big striker, Osita Chikere who did not make the trip to Katsina and is also unlikely to play against the Uyo club.
Technical Adviser, Stanley Eguma disclosed that his side also faces other constraints apart from the lengthy injury list.
“There is so much fatigue and injuries in the team,” Eguma said.
“We played a game against Heartland on Wednesday (April 4) in Port Harcourt and the next day we had to commence a two-day trip to Katsina (approximately 916 km/569 miles, 495 nautical miles) by road.
“After the game against Katsina United on Sunday (April 8) we had to start the trio back to Port Harcourt the next day (April 9).
“As I speak to you (Tuesday, April 10), the team is still not in Port Harcourt as they had to stop over in Enugu because the trip by road is so long and hectic.
“And then, on Sunday (April 15), we will play another league game against Nasarwawa United.
“The players are all fatigued and it is hard to get them give their best under such conditions,” he said.