Former Super Eagles coach Finidi George has experienced a setback in his bid to close the gap between his Rivers United and NPFL leaders Remo Stars as the title race took another interesting twist. Finidi George, the former Super Eagles head coach, is tasting heartbreak once again, this time in his quest to steer Rivers United closer to NPFL leaders Remo Stars. Finidi’s Rivers United faced a sting of frustration in Yenagoa on Wednesday evening, as his Pride of Rivers fell 1-0 to Bayelsa United. PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Soccer News in Nigeria from Pulse Sports Kehinde Malik struck in the 19th minute, handing Bayelsa the decisive moment in a match where Rivers squandered a golden opportunity to narrow the gap to Remo Stars to just two points. With the league leaders idle this round, Rivers had already cut the deficit to five points and were poised to pile on the pressure, only to leave empty-handed. Speaking post-match, in video shared by the club on their official social media account, Finidi remained gracious despite the defeat. “They won it but if we want to go about the play and what really happened, we don't deserve to lose today,” he said. “But that's football, we are not focused on Bayelsa. We have to think about our next home match which is against Remo [Stars]," he added. The loss is a bitter pill for Finidi, whose Rivers United side now faces an uphill battle to challenge Remo Stars’ lead. It’s a familiar narrative for the ex-Super Eagles boss, who resigned after adding to Nigeria’s faltering World Cup qualifying campaign after picking just one point from six against South Africa and Benin Republic last year. For a coach accustomed to rallying his troops after setbacks, the next match against the leaders in the league offers a shot at redemption and a step toward closing the gap on the summit. Fans will hope Finidi can channel the resolve he admires in his players to rewrite the script of recent heartbreaks.