Rivers United picked the sole ticket to the Championship from the South South zonal qualifiers of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Youth League. The Young Pride of Rivers qualified for the Championship finals with seven points.
Ken Chukwu’s boys came from behind twice to draw 2-2 against Bendel Insurance in their opening game before beating Bayelsa United 2-1 and wrapping up their qualification with a 2-0 victory against Akwa United.
Player to Watch: Paul Jr Paul. He is the captain of the side and had a significant impact in the team’s fine run at the zonal tournament. He scored two goals in the zonal tournament, against Akwa United and Bayelsa United. The defender is a leader from the back and will be an important player for the team in Benin.
Coach: Ken Chukwu