Ideye Scores in Debut as Enyimba Hammer Black Bulls to Revive Hopes
Femi Solaja with agency report
Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye came off the bench to score on his CAF Confederation Cup debut as Enyimba recorded their first win in the group stage of the competition.
Enyimba trounced Black Bulls of Mozambique 4-1 in Uyo on Sunday evening.
It was a sweet revenge for the Nigerians, who lost to the Mozambicans in Maputo last month.
Ideye showed great composure in the 68th minute, when he rounded up Black Bulls goalkeeper before he slotted home Enyimba third goal of the match.
Enyimba took the lead after six minutes through the lively Joseph Atule only for the Mozambicans to draw level six minutes later through Nigerian Ejaita Ifoni.
Ifeanyi Ihemekwele restored the home team’s lead on 45 minutes.
Atule got his brace when he scored a brilliant solo goal on 90 minutes to make it 4-1 in favour of Enyimba.
Elsewhere in the Group D other game, reigning champions Zamalek were held to a goalless draw in an Egyptian derby by Al Masry.
The two Egyptian sides Zamalek and Al Masry are first and second on eight and five points respectively while Enyimba who are on same four points as the visitors however remain at the bottom of the four-team standings as a result of the away goal rule in favour of the Mozambicans.
In Group A, the rich vein of form continues for Tanzanian giants, Simba AC who overcame Tunisia’s SC Sfaxien 1-0 away from home in a tightly contested TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Group A match on Sunday evening.
Jean Ahoua’s solitary strike in the first half meant the Tanzanian giants make it two wins over Sfaxien following their 2-1 victory on December 15.
The result further propels Simba’s rich vein of form, as they remain top of the group with Sfaxien remaining at the bottom with zero points.
Meanwhile in South Africa, Stellenbosch FC revived their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages with an impressive 2-0 victory over Angola’s Lunda Sul to move second in Group B in a match played in Pretoria.
A second half brace by Andre de Jong means the debutants now stand in line for a historic knockout stage berth on their very first appearance in the competition.
In Abidjan, Asec Mimosas were held to a 1-1 draw by former winners, USM Alger who’s point away from home sees them maintain their leading position in group C, followed by Mimosas, Jaraaf as well as Orapa United.
