|
|
Nigeria: How Enyimba Overwhelmed Club Africain
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
This Day (Lagos)
12 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Emeka Enechi
Lagos
Abdukadir Hussein and thousands of his friends sat dejectedly at the V.I.P stand at the imposing El Menzah Stadium, Tunis, burying their heads in between their hands, agonizing over the team's eventual ouster from the money spinning Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League competition.
The Tunisian representatives had hoped to cancel the 5-1 mauling handed out to them in Aba during the first leg a fortnight ago.
However, supported by an unprecedented home crowd of over 50,000 spectators, the home team went ahead in the 3rd minute to silence a miniature crowd chanting "Enyimba Enyi" to the consternation of the intimidating supporters dancing and chorusing Club Africain's songs and anthem. It was probably the inspiration the Nigerian representatives led by Ajibade Omolade and marshaled by experienced Uga Okpara and goalkeeper Sanni Haliru, who stood between the team and goals throughout the first stanza. Soon After the goal Okpara, who is himself a veteran of the CAF Champions League competition, having won the title in 2003 and 2004 respectively for Enyimba, rallied the players not to allow further slips while ensuring that Enyimba's rear was closely guarded.
Proceedings ended 1-0 in favour of the homers in the first stanza. However, when the game resumed in the second stanza, and coupled with the intimidating choruses from the stands, where an outstanding support by the supporters of the homers throughout the 90 minutes duration of the match.
The Enyimba defense caved in once again after a dogged and resilient play by the visitors in the 39th minute of the second of the second stanza almost saw the visitors caving in to the game plan of the homers.
But, two minutes later and in what looked like a commando counter attack, Okpara cleared a threatening goal-bound shot deflecting same to Ajibade Omolade who sent a diagonal pass to Stephen Worgu, who dribbled two on rushing defenders before sending a telegraphic pass to Ezenwa Otorugo.
The player deftly beat the Club Africain goalkeeper before driving the ball goal bound before it was eventually escorted to the home sides net by two defenders who were attempting to thwart Otorugo's effort.
The goal silenced the vociferous supporters who deserted the stadium en route their respective homes.
Hussein and thousands of other supporters of the team admitted after the match that the homers could not have cancelled the 5-1 first leg humiliation, insisting that it was the most embarrassing defeat the team had suffered in recent years.
"There was no doubt that we were humiliated in the first leg. We thought we would have had a miracle but Enyimba showed the mettle they were made of," he said.
Coach Maurice Cooreman told our correspondent in Tunis after the match that Enyimba planned to beat the team at home. However, he said the team's qualification was as good as playing in the final which he said was not a mirage.
|
Also speaking, Chairman of the team, Felix Anyansi Agwu said it would have disappointing if Enyimba failed to qualify for the League stage after previous superlative performances.
His words "We belong to the big league and that is why we are happy we have qualified for the league competition. We want to assure Nigerians that we will not disappoint them." In the same vein, the team's dean of defense, Uga Okpara appealed to teaming supporters of Enyimba to offer the team needed support and encouragement saying the players would do their best to take the team to the epic final of this year's event.
After the match the streets of Tunis, the capital of the country, were deserted as citizens went home ruing the outcome of the match they had anticipated would go their way.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
