CAF Champions League
FIRE BRIGADE ALARM MAY SOUND IN MEMORY OF IWUANYANWU NATIONALE AIR CRASH VICTIMS
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
At the hour of six on Wednesday, a fire brigade alarm is expected to sound. This is planned to be a symbolic memorial for the five victims of the Oriental Airlines that crashed into a fire brigade building in Algeria about that hour 25 years ago.
The ill-fated flight of September 18, 1994 had players and officials of
the then Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland of Owerri) who were in quest for
continental honours.
The distasteful event of an air crash involving the Zambian World Cup squad in the previous year was sadly re-enacted.
Sports Village Square recalled that they became the eighth notable football squad to have been involved in an air disaster.
Memories of the crashes involving the Zambian national team in 1993, Peruvian champions, Alianza Lima in 1988, Soviet’s Pakhtakor Tashkent club in 1979, the Strongest FC of Bolivia in 1969, Chile’s Green Cross in 1961, England’s Manchester United in 1958 and Italy’s Torino in 1949 came flooding back.
The Nigerian champions, Iwuanyanwu Nationale were returning from Tunisia where they had lost 3-0 to Esperance in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Champions (now CAF Champions League).
Defeated and deflated, the 35 players, officials and journalists were obviously in low spirit. Beyond the defeat and the thought of the herculean task ahead, the contingent had to contend with a three-hour delay at the Tunis Airport.
When the chartered BAC 1-11 of the Oriental Airlines, owned by the club proprietor, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, eventually took off, it had to contend with early morning fog of the Sahara Desert region.
So bad was the situation that the plane had to make an emergency landing at Agenat Airport, Tamanrasset in Algerian Southern border with Niger Republic.
In doing so, it crashed into a pole, then a lorry and finally into a fire station building. The aircraft had circled in the airspace for almost three hours. After a mighty explosion, the aircraft came to a halt.
From the bowel of the badly mangled aircraft came 30 passengers alive. Incredible! Some were seriously wounded. But five, among them, two players, died.
The dead players were midfielder, Eghomwanre ‘Omale’ Aimanmwosa, and goalkeeper
Uche Ikeogu.
Also dead were the pilot who was
identified as Captain Amaechi; the co-pilot, Captain Chinedu Ogbonna and an air
steward, Obiageli Ezeh.
Badly injured were Okon Ating and 20 others. Among the lucky survivors are former Nigerian skipper, Christian Chukwu, former National Sports Commission director, Steve Olarinoye and Bola Oyeyode of the Nigeria Football Federation.
The dead Eghomwanre ‘Omale’ Aimanmwosa was said to be asleep at the time the aircraft crashed into the fire station building of the airport.
He was spread across three seats of the aircraft and got trapped as part of the fire station building collapsed on him.
He had joined the club after a brief spell at Bendel Insurance and Lagos Julius Berger.
Uche Ikeogu was a reserve goalkeeper in 1985 Flying Eagles squad and joined Iwuanyanwu in the l980s before transferring to Plateau United and later Rangers. He returned to the Iwuanyanwu fold at the start of 1994 season.
The toll left the club seriously handicapped for its return leg of the Cup Championship.
In spite of a two-week postponement granted by CAF at the instance of the Nigerian club, Iwuanyanwu Nationale could not survive the herculean task of overturning a three-goal deficit. They struggled to a 1-1 draw.
One of the survivors of the crash, Anthony Nwaigwe has told Alternativeafrica.com in London that ex team mates of the victims of the tragedy plan to mark the 25 years of the accident in honour of their departed colleagues and celebrate the founder, who gave his all for the team.
Solomon Onu, the Director of Media and Communications at Heartland FC informed www.sportsvillagesqure.com of plans of the club to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the crash.
He remarked that the General Manager of the club, Chief Chukwudi Ifeanyi deemed it fit to commemorate the memories of the fallen heroes.
He reportedly told the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale players, of the club ‘s support and called for a symbiotic relationship between the club and its former players
One of those to be honoured on Wednesday is Elder Iheancho, a medic who was among the survivors of the air crash.
According to a publication in alternativeafrica.com in London, informed that a ceremonial match by some former players would be played from 6am to 6.30 to mark the approximate time of the plane crash.
But the official information from the club states that the memorial activity will commence with a candle light procession by 8am at the Dan Anyiam Stadium. The procession is planed to end at Mr Fans Place.
Nigeria’s flagbearers, Remo Stars, have been eliminated from the CAF Champions League after suffering another defeat to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, who completed a 7–1 aggregate rout on Sunday afternoon in Pretoria.
The outcome was never really in doubt following the Nigerian champions’ 1–5 loss at home in the first leg in Ikenne last week. The return fixture at Loftus Versfeld Stadium only confirmed the inevitable, as the reigning South African champions sealed qualification to the lucrative group stage with a routine 2–0 win.
Goals from Portuguese forward Nuno Santos in the 20th minute and Namibian talisman Peter Shalulile just before halftime ensured that the “Brazilians,” as Sundowns are fondly called, advanced with ease. The result left Remo Stars outclassed and out of Africa’s elite competition at the second qualifying hurdle.
Despite resting several first-team players, coach Miguel Cardoso’s men showed their depth and intent, dominating proceedings from start to finish. Captain Ronwen Williams and veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango anchored a disciplined backline, while Shalulile’s strike underlined his lethal form and cemented his reputation as one of the continent’s most consistent scorers.
Remo Stars made some attacking forays in the second half, but their efforts lacked precision and composure in the final third. The defeat, though painful, marks another learning curve for the Ikenne-based side in only their second appearance in continental competition.
With fellow South African club Orlando Pirates failing to reach the group stage, Sundowns will now fly their country’s flag alone as they aim for another deep run in the tournament, having finished as runners-up last season.
The draw for the CAF Champions’ League group stage will be held next Monday in Johannesburg, where other African heavyweights will be hoping to avoid a date with the free-scoring Sundowns.
For Remo Stars, attention will now turn to the CAF Confederation Cup play-offs — a second chance to continue their continental adventure.
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Remo Stars head coach, Tiago Conde, says his team remains hopeful of pulling off a football miracle when they face African Football League champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, in the second leg of their CAF Champions League second-round clash on Sunday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The Nigerian champions are staring at a near-impossible task after last Sunday’s 5–1 home defeat in Ikenne, meaning they would need to beat the South African giants 5–0 away to qualify for the lucrative group stage.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Saturday, Conde insisted that his players are not in South Africa merely to make up the numbers.
“Now we’ll look to make the necessary corrections and improve — to be more efficient, more balanced, and better aligned with the demands of a true Champions League game,” he said.
Despite the heavy deficit, the Portuguese tactician remains defiant and optimistic.
“If my players and I were not prepared or believe that we can win and score five goals and go to the group stage, there is no point in being here,” Conde told Pan Africa Football.
“We trust and believe we can do it. Of course, it’s difficult, but we’ll also make it difficult for Mamelodi Sundowns to score another five goals. It’s 11 against 11 for 90 minutes — we know it’s hard work.”
Conde added that his team had worked on fixing their shortcomings from the first leg.
“What we prepared and want to do is what we tried to do in the first leg, though some things did not happen. Now we’re trying to correct those things and be more effective and balanced — that’s what a Champions League game demands.”
Remo Stars defender Ahmed Akinyele echoed his coach’s optimism, stressing that the team has learned from their mistakes and is ready to fight.
“Like the coach said, we’re here to compete with focus, determination, and the drive to do better than we did in the first leg. We’re ready to give our best and keep improving as a team.”
While overturning a four-goal deficit against one of Africa’s most dominant sides appears highly unlikely, Remo Stars’ spirit of defiance underscores their ambition to leave a mark, regardless of the outcome in Pretoria.
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CAF Champions League
Rivers Flow into CAF Champions’ League Group Stage as First Nigerian Team in Nine Years
Rivers United have made history by becoming the first Nigerian club since 2016 to qualify for the CAF Champions’ League group stage, following a commanding 3–1 victory over Mozambique’s Black Bulls on Saturday in Uyo.
The result saw the Pride of Rivers progress 3–2 on aggregate, overturning a 1–0 first-leg deficit suffered in Maputo last weekend.
Rivers United began with intent and were rewarded in the 15th minute when Wasiu Falolu opened the scoring to level the tie.
Their dominance continued, and just before half-time, Maclyn Biokpo converted from the penalty spot to make it 2–0, putting the Nigerian side ahead on aggregate.
However, the visitors reignited their hopes early in the second half as Moctar Diallo pulled one back for the Black Bulls — a goal that temporarily put pressure on the home side, who faced possible elimination via the away-goal rule.
Rivers United, undeterred, regained their rhythm and sealed victory in the 76th minute when Timothy Zachariah fired in a stunning effort to restore the two-goal cushion and secure a 3–1 win on the night.
The triumph marks a significant milestone for Nigerian club football, as Rivers United become the first team from the country to reach the Champions’ League group stage since Enyimba International achieved the feat nine years ago.
The Port Harcourt-based side will now await the draw for the group stage as they continue their quest for continental glory.
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