CAF Confederation Cup
DAYO OJO BELIEVES ENYIMBA WILL SHOUT HOSANNA AFTER HASSANIA CLASH
Enyimba midfielder Dayo Ojo has said a Cup final doesn’t come bigger than his side’s CAF Confederation Cup crucial penultimate clash against Hassania Agadir on Sunday at the Aba International Stadium.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who reached the semi-finals of the second-tier continental competition with Sunshine Stars in 2011, has been one of the mainstays in the People’s Elephant campaign this term and reckons anything short than a demanding African final mentality against the Moroccan visitors would spell doom for their aspirations.
Incidentally, the Moroccans are in pole position in Group B with ten points from their last four matches while Enyimba are second with six points, but Ojo said Sunday’s encounter is a must-win for his side in order to consolidate their position on the table towards qualification for the quarter finals.
“We all know the importance of this upcoming match against Hassania Agadir in Aba,” Ojo told CAFOnline.com
“Sunday’s match against Hassania Agadir is like a Cup final for us because we need a very good result to help us through to the quarterfinals; as such we have to fight our way through.
Hassania is not a small team and the fact that they beat us the last time we met in the group would give us the extra motivation to go against them.”
Enyimba, two-time African Champions, have struggled to impress in recent times and have conceded defeats twice away to Hassania Agadir (2-0) and Paradou AC (1-0) while they claimed victory at home against San Pedro (1-0) and a 4-1 thrashing of Paradou AC.
Now under interim coach Fatai Osho who took over from Usman Abdallah, who parted ways on the back of some insipid results on both the continent and Nigerian soccer scene, Ojo said the Nigerian flagbearers would be up and running.
“Come Sunday, we know what to expect from Hassania. North African teams are usually fast and tricky but we shall be ready to counter them,“ assured Ojo.
“They defeated us 2-0 when we played against them in Agadir with the climate affecting us. But we shouldn’t have any reason to complain on Sunday.
“We just need to work extra hard and be vigilant so that we can get the maximum points that will enhance our position on the log.”
Ojo has been involved in five matches so far but he explained Enyimba have strength in depth to battle their way through this group stage, adding that the whole of the People’s Elephant is greater than the sum of its parts.
“We have so many good players here and honestly, you can’t say this particular player or that player would be the joker for the team,” he assured.
“This is not a team that depends on one or two players because we have so many players that can rise to the occasion when the chips are down; and I’m sure we would all be ready against Hassania on Sunday.”
“I’m here on a mission too; this is my first season with Enyimba and I will be happy to be part of the team that will help them win this particular CAF Confederation Cup which they have not won before.
“I want to win titles because this is one of the best platforms to achieve such dreams and I hope I can realise such dreams in my first season here.
Ojo, who missed the 2-0 away loss to Hassania on Match Day 1, said he personally has a score to settle with the Moroccans after being part of Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles that lost to host Morocco in the final match of the 2018 edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“Every match is an opportunity to learn new things and I can’t forget how the Moroccans beat us in the CHAN final in 2018,” he said.
“I always like to play back and review past matches and I would be sharing so much with my teammates because Moroccans are fast with the ball but we are going to do our best to curtail them in Aba on Sunday,” noted Ojo.
Equally, coach Osho has also weighed-in on the readiness of his wards, saying all hands are on deck to ensure victory on Sunday:
“They (players) have not allowed anything to weigh them down. The attitude in training has been good, and if we continue for the next two days, we’ll be ready (against Hassania Agadir).”
-Caf
CAF Confederation Cup
Shooting Stars, Ikorodu City, in Winner-Takes-All Quest for Confederation Cup ticket
By Kunle Solaja.
The battle for the Nigeria Premier Football League’s remaining CAF Confederation Cup ticket will go down to the wire on the final day of the season, with Shooting Stars and Ikorodu City locked in a tense race for third place.
While title contenders, Enugu Rangers International and Rivers United, have already secured Nigeria’s slots in next season’s CAF Champions League, the contest for the Confederation Cup place remains delicately poised.
Shooting Stars currently occupy third position with 60 points, holding a narrow two-point advantage over fourth-placed Ikorodu City, who sit on 58 points ahead of the 24 May decisive fixtures.
The Ibadan side is in pole position and needs only to avoid defeat away to Niger Tornadoes to confirm a return to continental football next season.
However, Ikorodu City still has a fighting chance of snatching the ticket.
The Lagos-based club must defeat title-chasing Rangers and hope Shooting Stars stumble against Niger Tornadoes to overturn the deficit and leapfrog the Oluyole Warriors into third place.
Their clash against Rangers is expected to rank among the standout fixtures of the final day, with both teams carrying huge ambitions into the encounter.
For Ikorodu City, the situation revives painful memories from last season when they chased a continental ticket from two fronts but ended up empty-handed.
The club narrowly missed out on third place after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to eventual champions Remo Stars in Ikenne on the final day, despite taking the lead in the encounter. The result pushed them down to fourth position.
Their hopes of reaching the continent through the Federation Cup also ended in heartbreak after a penalty shootout loss to Abakaliki FC in the semi-finals following a goalless draw.
Now, with another opportunity within reach, Ikorodu City will hope fortune finally smiles on them as they seek what would be a historic continental qualification.
With the title race, continental qualification battle, and survival struggles all still unresolved, the final day of the NPFL season is set to deliver tension and drama across the country.
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Hosts USM Alger converted a controversial stoppage-time penalty to edge Egyptian giants Zamalek 1-0 in Saturday’s first leg of the African Confederation Cup final at the Stade du 5 Juillet in the Algerian capital Algiers.
Ahmed Khaldi converted the spot kick after Zamalek thought they had snatched a late winner through Brazilian substitute Juan Alvina, who ran half the length of the pitch to tuck away a superb individual effort.
But the strike was ruled out, and play was brought back for a foul in the build-up when VAR found Hossam Abdelmaguid had caught Rayane Mahrouz with a knee in the back.
Early in the second half, Zamalek’s Angolan import Chico Banza had a looping effort over USMA goalkeeper Oussama Benbot cleared off the line by defender Hocine Dehiri
USMA enjoyed fervent support but will now be up against it in Cairo when Zamalek host the second leg next Saturday.
Zamalek previously won the Confederation Cup in 2019 and 2024, while USMA were victors in 2023.
-Reuters
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Two of Africa’s most decorated clubs will renew their continental ambitions on Saturday when USM Alger host Zamalek SC in the first leg of the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup final in Algiers.
The eagerly anticipated showdown at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 is expected to set the tone for what promises to be another fiercely contested final in Africa’s secondary club competition, with not only continental prestige at stake but also a record first prize of USD 4 million for the eventual winners.
USM Alger, champions in 2023, will be aiming to reclaim the title they won after edging Tanzania’s Young Africans on away goals in a dramatic two-legged final. The Algerian side booked their place in this season’s final through another tense away-goals triumph, eliminating Morocco’s Olympic Club Safi after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
For Zamalek, the final presents an opportunity to further cement their reputation as one of Africa’s elite clubs. The Egyptian giants lifted the Confederation Cup in 2019 and again in 2024, beating Morocco’s RS Berkane on both occasions after nail-biting aggregate scorelines.
The White Knights also had to navigate a difficult semi-final path this season, edging fellow Algerian side CR Belouizdad 1-0 on aggregate thanks to a crucial away victory inspired by Brazilian forward Juan Alvina.
Recent history suggests little will separate the two finalists. Several Confederation Cup finals in recent years have been decided on away goals or penalties, and another tight contest is widely expected over the two legs.
Saturday’s opening encounter in Algiers will be officiated by Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida, while Gabonese official Pierre Atcho will handle the decisive return leg in Cairo on 16 May.
With a passionate home crowd expected behind them, USM Alger will look to establish an advantage before travelling to the intimidating atmosphere of Cairo International Stadium for the second leg.
Zamalek, however, arrive with vast continental experience and a proven ability to thrive under pressure in away fixtures, setting the stage for a compelling battle between North African heavyweights.
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