CAF Confederation Cup Groupings: Enyimba, Be Wary of Your Opponents! News

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CAF Confederation Cup Groupings: Enyimba, Be Wary of Your Opponents!

By Daily sports on March 1, 2021

One won’t just stop commenting on the just concluded CAF Confederation Cup play off between two time CAF Champions League kings, Enyimba International of Aba and the over ambitious Rivers United of Port Harcourt which tone was set shortly after the very urbane Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike donated brand new luxury bus to the team and their Rivers Angels counterparts, including promise of huge millions if the Stanley Eguma tutored team would turn Enyimba back and move on.

That singular obvious unsuspecting and motivational approach or gesture by the number one citizen of Rivers State heightened the tension. Do not forget that the same River State team raided Enyimba International FC team at the free transfer period and lured her top rate first team players. The exit of those players could weaken any team and make her foundation, administrative and managerial acuemen have K-leg. A team like Enyimba would have had multiple problems but veteran Felix Anyansi Agwu-led management team determinedly picked the piece and pieces and built a team that has sojourned thus far. It was the inexperience of the lads that cost the country the continuation in the CAF Champions League.

The just-played second leg in Port Harcourt was tension soaked and so CAF had to libel it as one of the high risk games. One is glad that it came and went without causality. The beat goes on. The match report by Channels TV was apt on the live situation report. I did expect such a tough duel as both teams gave great accounts of themselves and Enyimba International FC came out as my team of the match because of the intimidation and sundry encounters that attained it.

The young players of Enyimba showed classic maturity especially when their host scored and the way and manner the visitors from Aba responded and defended saved the day for multiple NPFL Champs. The relatively young lads and their more experienced colleagues defended massively and ensured that the over ambitious Rivers United side did not even near their eighteen yard area.

The ding-dong affair later went into penalties which the Aba Elephants came out tops thus qualifying for the group stage of the second tie CAF-organised summit. There were deep lessons learnt in that epic game and how the fittest took the day. The Aba boys made up of the young and experienced held their heads high despite what they saw live starring them in the face. They faced the reality and defended the status of their team stoutly not minding the underlining odds. Though the odds favoured them and Enyimba is a solid side, the boys that made them tick have gone to other sides especially Rivers United as posited by analysts.

To further frighten the Aba lads, their first rate first eleven colleagues were fielded, including eagle eyed and agile goalkeeper Theophilous and your guess is as good as mine. However, the Technical hand Lukman Osho devised water-tight strategies that checkmated the Rivers United boys effectively, ensuring that no more goals were scored against him as the boys played to instruction which paid off handsomely at the end of the day.

Now the groupings have been released by CAF and Enyimba will play alongside clubs from Algeria, South Africa and Libya and to be honest with you, the group A is no easy one. The Algerian club side, Setif, is an old timer in the continental terrain and so Enyimba knows them inside out as no push over team. Orlando Pirates from South Africa is also an opponent you cannot ignore if you want to make headway into the competition in question. Even the Ahly Benghazi from Libya must not be taken for granted. Football as unpredictable as the game has been remains the best at all times amongst its numerous fans globally.

The stage is set for Enyimba to make history again as the first Nigerian club to win the trophy. It goes with hard work, determination, dedication, focus, sense of responsibility et al to ensure it qualifies from their group into the Q-final. The cubs in other groups are the same tough oldies which made the competition as competitive as the elite CAF Champs League.

It won’t be a tea party as any team that dreams of qualification to further must ensure it braces up decisively and work extra hard to attain it and good enough Enyimba International is aware of it and so must do the needful. Algeria is a football playing nation and so her teams are great and high performers any day. Therefore, our Enyimba has its hands full. The young lads that soaked off the heat and threats from Rivers United must complete the journey successfully despite the anticipated thorny road to the first spot and then the crown.

No doubt, the completion has entered its crunchy stage and only the fittest and well planned will triumph. One prays that everything that would enable Enyimba concentrate would be provided by the Abia State government for the team. Anyansi Agwu and his team are mindful of the uphill task ahead and must not fail to face it squarely.

One must congratulate the NFF for a job well done, ensuring it was a hitch free encounter. The other commendation goes to Enyimba International management team led by very experienced administrator, Felix Anyansi Agwu, the players and coaching crew for victory deserved and hard earned too. Rivers United side also deserves accolades for being good sportsmen. Tomorrow is another day. The consolation should be that the Port Harcourt base lost to a better, superior, experienced, determined and exposed team. The round leather games like any other sports remain; you win some and lose some. It has been the rule of the game.

Let’s resort to our social media handles and set the agenda for Enyimba to win this trophy for Nigeria.

Keep shooting hard till next week as the struggle continues!!

Source Daily sports

Posted March 1, 2021