This Day (Lagos)
2 November 2009
Lagos — Pepsi Most Valuable Player (MVP) in last Sunday's CAF Champions League first leg final match between Heartland F.C of Nigeria and T.P Mazembe of Congo DR, King Osanga is very hopeful that Heartland will bring the coveted trophy back to Nigeria this weekend when the final match will be decided in Lubumbashi.
Osanga said that despite the slim 2-1 win over their visitors, Heartland F.C will play the final as if no goals were scored in the first leg.
"It was a difficult match for us and the rain did not help our case as the field became slippery," Osanga explained as the reason for the below par performance of Heartland F.C who were expected to maul the Congo boys and make the second leg a mere formality.
On a day that every Heartland player put every foot wrong, Osanga, the FIFA U-20 World Cup star in Egypt was the honourable exception, providing energy where others offered lethargy.
Save for the stunning goal that Uche Agba scored in the second half of the match to put Heartland in front, he was largely anonymous throughout the first half and was only animated towards the last 20 minutes of the encounter.
So was Ikechukwu Ibenegbu of the 'Beach Eagles' fame who conceded the mid-field to the Mazembe
For his effort, Osanga won N250,000 cash prize from Pepsi, the official beverage partner for all CAF competitions. The sum is an improvement from the N200,000 in the semi-final and N150,000 during the group stages.
Marketing Manager of PepsiCo International, Mr. Mazen Al Masri said Pepsi is pleased to support the two Nigerian club sides that played in this year's CAF Champions League.
"Kano Pillars and Heartland are two clubs that have brought pride to Nigeria by the level they attainted in this year's league. We hope that Heartland F.C will lift the trophy to emulate Enyimba F.C who had won this trophy in 2003 and 2004," Al Masri concluded.
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