1 July 2009
Nairobi — El Merreikh Sports Club have pulled out all stops in advertising their organisational and financial prowess at the Cecafa Club Championship, staging a spectacular opening ceremony on Tuesday night at their 41,000-seater El Merreikh Stadium.
In a two-hour, eye catching show of extravagant fireworks display and stunning laser light illumination against the backdrop of Sudanese culture and football, captured on a giant screen installed inside the stadium, the near-capacity crowd was held in awe.
Traditional dancers in flowing, colourful dress and captivating music resplendent with drumbeats, lyre and vocals took the audience back to a life lived centuries ago.
The show ended with a gigantic lit "Cecafa" that seemed to be up in flames next to the big screen that had the words "Welcome to the Red Castle" - the informal name of El Merreikh Stadium - beckoning to the spectators.
A spontaneous cheer reverberated against the red walls of the Red Castle as the appreciative crowd welcomed the tournament, which was only confirmed to be held in Sudan a few months ago after original hosts Uganda pulled out citing lack of sponsorship.
The El Mereikh management have promised to stage the best ever regional club football fete and their $600,000 sponsorship attest to that. This is the first time in the history of Cecafa that an individual club has come out to sponsor a tournament.
A tournament does well when the home team prospers and El Merreikh did no wrong, blasting Atraco of Rwanda 6-1 in late match on Tuesday to underline their pace as favourites. Even a nine-minute blackout just before kick-off could not remove the glitter from the home team's impressive display.
Chief tormentors
El Merreikh were technically more superior than their opponents and their added pace proved too much for the visitors. Nigerian imports Stephen Wargo and Indorance Idahor were their chief tormentors.
After early resistance Atraco were finally broken in the 31st minute when Idahor showed good pace to beat the goalkeeper via the outside post. A near similar move had Sudanese international Naserdin Shigail racing clear to powerfully fire home eight minutes later.
Idahor then showed why he is the leading goal scorer in the CAF Champions League with seven strikes when he picked Wargo's pass just inside the area for a clinical finish two minutes before half-time as Badreldin Galad rifled home a screaming free kick to give El Merreikh an emphatic first-half lead.
Two more goals from Faisal Ajab and Haytham Tambah, interrupted by Peter Kagabo's lone strike for Atraco, completed the rout.
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