Francis Ajuonuma
9 November 2009
Heartland of Owerri coach Kelechi 'Caterpillar' Emetole has claimed that tactical indiscipline cost his team the chance to lift the Champions League title at the weekend in Lubumbashi.
The Naze millionaires were beaten 1-0 in Saturday's CAF Champions League return leg clash at TP Mazembe of Congo Democratic Republic despite going into that game with a 2-1 advantage.
Emetole, who was furious with his players at the end of the encounter, tongue lashed them for not playing to instructions.
"There was no discipline with my tactical instructions they ignored everything and everyone doing his own thing. This had a huge impact on our performance," admitted the veteran coach.
"Poor finishing was another contributing factor as we wasted two golden opportunities to score and it contributed negatively to our quest for Champions League glory."
However, his opposing coach Diego Garzitto attributed their cup victory to hard work throughout the year.
"Hard work was the secret of our success. We have been preparing feverishly for African matches throughout the year and this dedication paid off," the 59-year-old former Togo and Ethiopia coach told reporters.
"Whatever happened during the course of our campaign, our obsession with hard work never wavered from the first match against Angolan club Petro Atletico to the last against Heartland."
Garzitto said it was also helpful not to be put under pressure by officials from a club that Benedictine monks formed 70 years ago to keep their students occupied during spare time in the southern copper mining city.
"When we started our campaign no one told us we had to win the African title, but the players and coaches accepted the challenge and I'm delighted that we succeeded.
"My players have put smiles on the faces of the people of Lubumbashi and the Democratic Republic of Congo in general and we are proud of that," said the coach who joined Mazembe at the start of this year.
Garzitto said the introduction of Basisila Lusadisu and Luyeye Mvete in the second half for Zambian Given Singuluma and leading Champions League scorer Dioko Kaluyituka helped loosen the grip of the Nigerian defence.
"Close marking made it difficult for my players to move around so I altered the approach during the second half by reinforcing the midfield and this helped us maintain our lead, " he explained.
Success earned Mazembe a record $1.5 million plus an invitation to the end-of-year FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates with Spanish giants Barcelona among possible opponents.
While Mazembe qualify automatically for the 2010 African Champions League as holders, Heartland will get another chance to conquer the continent having qualified to represent Nigeria with Bayelsa United.
Mazembe pipped Heartland of Nigeria in the first African Champions League final decided by the away-goal rule with a 1-0 victory in the southern city of Lubumbashi having trailed 2-1 after the first leg.
An own goal settled the return match with Victor Ezuruike heading a Lunkamba Somwe cross past substitute goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa and into his own net on 74 minutes before a sell-out 35,000 Kenya Stadium crowd.
While the Congolese 'Crows' claimed a third title and the first since 1968, Heartland fell at the final hurdle for the second time following a 4-1 hiding from Algerian outfit Entente Setif 21 years ago.
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