Enyimba Positive of Upturning Pyramids’ Advantage in Aba Today

CONFEDERATION CUP

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Fatai Osho, Head Coach of Nigeria’s last team in continental campaign this term, Enyimba, remains positive that the People’s Elephant can reach the CAF Confederation Cup semifinals despite needing to overcome a three-goal deficit when they host Egyptian Pyramids in Aba this afternoon.

Enyimba lost the first leg of the quarter final of the CAF Confederation Cup clash in Cairo last week to make this reverse fixture a herculean task for the two-time African champions.

“This tie is not over,” Osho told reporters at the team’s last work out ahead of today’s game.

He however admitted that shambolic defending and tiredness due to the logistic issues that dogged the first leg in the Egyptian City conspired to derail his game plan last week.

“Some shocking defending, tiredness and a lack of concentration cost us dearly in Cairo. We were not three goals worse than our opponents,” Osho emphasized.

Victor Mbaoma fired Enyimba into the early lead within a minute when he stole the ball from goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy.

But the hosts rallied back with goals from Ramadan Robhi and Abdallah El Said in the first half.

Ibrahim Adel compounded the visitors woes with two more goals in the second half to make this second leg a mountain very high to climb for the Aba Elephant.

No Nigerian clubside has ever defeated the Pyramids of Egypt. Two years ago, the relatively young Egyptian clubside defeated Enugu Rangers 3-1 in Enugu and 1-0 in Cairo in the group stage of the 2019 Confederation Cup.

In some of the other fixtures of the second leg of the quarter finals, Moroccan Raja Casablanca take a perfect four-victory home record this season into a clash of former CAF Champions League winners against famed Soweto club Orlando Pirates.

Although the odds have tilted toward a Moroccan victory after they forced a 1-1 draw in South Africa, Pirates’ coach Josef Zinnbauer is upbeat despite his side failing to score in their last three away games.

“We respect Raja because they are one of the most successful clubs in Africa, but we travelled to Casablanca without fear. Ben Malango is a dangerous forward and needs to be constantly policed.”

The other two quarter final matches involve Senegal’s Jaraf versus CotonSport of Cameroon while Algerian side JS Kabyle will confront record three-time Confederation Cup title-holders Sfaxien of Tunisia.