EuroMatch NPFL: Ogunbote Reveals Why Plateau United Lost To Rivers United
Retold by Oddsrama · 31 August 2026
Plateau United's opening day in the new NPFL season turned sour as they suffered a 2-0 defeat away at Rivers United in Port Harcourt. Goals from Abdulrasheed Dabai and Wasiu Falolu sealed the win for the hosts at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, leaving the Peace Boys searching for answers after a sluggish opening forty-five minutes.
Technical adviser Gbenga Ogunbote wasted no time pointing to his side's flat first-half showing as the pivotal factor in the loss. He acknowledged that Plateau United failed to find their rhythm early on, though he credited his tactical adjustments at the interval for sparking a noticeable improvement. The coach noted that the pitch conditions made it difficult to maintain flowing, attacking football, but he was candid about his team's overall reaction time being below par throughout the encounter.
While the result stings, Ogunbote refused to dwell on the negatives, instead framing the improved second-half performance as something to build on heading into Matchday Two. For bettors tracking NPFL form this season, Plateau's opening-day sluggishness is a red flag—teams that concede early and rely on second-half comebacks often struggle to string wins together. Rivers United's convincing home victory puts them among the favourites to challenge this campaign, while Plateau will need to tighten up their game management if they're to make a title push. How quickly they respond in their next fixture could define their season's trajectory.
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