CAF: Enyimba, Horoya Players Talk Tough Ahead Of Tomorrow’s Clash

Players of Enyimba International and Horoya Athletic Club of of Guinea have been talking tough ahead of tomorrow’s first leg of the quarterfinal of the CAF Confederation Cup competition billed for the Enyimba Stadium in Aba.

Although Enyimba started their campaign in the elite CAF Champions League, they later dropped to the lower league to continue their search for continental silverware in over 26 years.

It will be recalled that the ‘peoples elephants’ as Enyimba are fondly called won back to back the prestigious CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004. Since then, they have failed to replicate the form that made them continental champions.

Going by the pedigree of their opponents in tomorrow’s match, Enyimba FC has their work cut out for them as they certainly have a mountain to climb in order to achieve the set target.

After stuttering performances in the domestic league under former coach Usman Abd’Allah, Enyimba appeared to have found their lost confidence under new coach Fatai Osho.

With their impressive run in the NPFL which was only dented recently by a 0-2 loss at strugglers Nasarawa United, Enyimba may fancy their chance of getting a positive result on Sunday as they are aware the return leg of the quarter-final awaits them on March 8 at Stade de Septembre in Guinea.

Some of Enyimba FC players who spoke to Trust Sports ahead of the crucial encounter have expressed the confidence that as the only surviving club in the continent, the ‘Peoples elephant’ won’t afford to let down the nation.

They were unanimous in their submission that the match will not be a stroll in the park but they are motivated and determined to get victory on Sunday. The captain of the team, Ifeanyi Anaemena told Trust Sports that Enyimba is ready to take anything that Horoya Athletic Club of Guinea will bring to Aba.

He said “We are preparing fine. It is a tough game for us. For us, to progress, we must get a good margin at home to make the second leg a mere formality. “We don’t need anyone to tell us what is before us.

We must put in our best performance because Horoya are no pushover.” The Super Eagles defender also said even as the two clubs have never met before, Horoya parade some Nigerian and Ghanaian players who may furnish them with some useful information about his team.

He, therefore, charged his teammates to be more focused and committed to the task before them. “We have never played Horaya before but we know that they have some Nigerians and Ghanaians in the team who might tell them one or two things about us.

The management of Enyimba led by the chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu has gone a long way to making sure that we are motivated because they know how important the CAF match is to us and the whole country.

“We are adequately motivated ahead of this important CAF match. I won’t predict the scores but as I said earlier, if we can get a good margin of goals, it would help us to scale through when we play the return match,” said Anaemena. Enyimba number one goalkeeper, Theophilus Afelokhai also told reporters that the ‘Peoples elephants’ are preparing very well for the Confederation Cup quarter-final match. He agreed with the position of his captain as he said the match will be tough for Enyimba.

“We are preparing fine. As I am speaking, we are in camp. Immediately after our match at Nasarawa United, we moved straight into camp to prepare for this big match. “Although we have never met before, I see this as an advantage.

They don’t know anything about us so we can surprise them with our tactics,” he said. Speaking on the strength of the opposition, Afelokhai said “Any team that has reached the quarter-finals is a good side. No team at this stage is a pushover. We are aware of this. “From what I have heard, they are a good side and we are also good.

They need the match but we need it more than them because our target is to win the trophy. “Our chairman is doing his best to motivate us. He came yesterday to settle our match bonuses and also spoke words that motivated us.

“He made us understand that if we would win the trophy, our lives won’t be the same again. And I saw the response on the faces of my teammates. I am sure we are all ready to make Nigerians happy,” said the former Kano Pillars captain.

The morale in the camp of Enyimba may be high but they must be prepared to do something extra-ordinary to subdue Horoya who finished as Group B runners up without losing any of their six games in a group that boasted of Djoliba and Bidvest Wits. In addition, they must be wary of their compatriot Bolaji Sakin who has played in the NPFL for Wikki Tourists and Rivers United surely knows one or two things about them.

While speaking to CAFOnline.com ahead of the quarter-final clash, Bolaji said “I will be happy to score against Enyimba in Aba in front of some of my friends and family members that will come for the match.

“It is an important match to my team and even more important to me also; we know about Enyimba pedigree both in Nigeria and on the continent but I’m confident we are going to get a good result” posited Bolaji who revels in the joy of being the first Nigerian to play for Horoya. He also said, “The match against Enyimba in Aba will be tough but what I know is that we are going to get a positive result ahead of the second leg in Conakry.”

Although Enyimba and Horoya have never met before at any level of African football, the Guineans once broke the hearts of Nigerian football fans when they bundled out the then famous Shooting Stars of Ibadan on their way to winning the now-defunct Africa Cup Winners’ Cup in 1978.

They suffered a 1-3 loss in Ibadan but pummelled Shooting Stars 3-0 in the return leg to dispatch the Nigerians 4-3 on aggregate. This should send a strong warning to Enyimba that with the Guinean giants, it is not over until it is all over. Therefore, the ‘People’s elephants’ are expected to work extra hard to avenge that misery inflicted on Shooting Stars in 1978.

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