CAF Confederation Cup
SIMEON BOLAJI SAKIN , A FREE-SCORING NIGERIAN WHO COULD BRING ENYIMBA DOWN
Nigeria-born striker Sakin Bolaji would in footballing terms be a ‘public enemy number one’ when his Horoya Athletic Club of Guinea tackle Enyimba in the CAF Confederation Cup quarter final first leg tie in Aba on Sunday.
The 25-year-old free scoring
striker from South-Western part of Nigeria started his professional football
career with Abia Warriors en route to playing in the Nigerian topflight with
Wikki Tourists and Rivers United.
“Of course, I have scored against Enyimba before and I think that was in a league match played in Bauchi when I was with Wikki Tourists,” Bolaji, the moustachioed striker, told CAFOnline.com.
“I just love the style (wearing beards) and it sort of gives me some confidence as a man.”
The broad-shouldered Bolaji indeed cuts a courageous image and could be said to be a proof to the postulation that men that wear beards are dominant and rugged.
Incidentally, Bolaji has shown his scoring prowess since he joined Horoya in 2017 from Rivers United.
In his first season with Horoya, Bolaji scored seven goals and notched ten the following season – the year that coincided with the club’s domestic treble when they won the Guinea Ligue 1; Guinea National Cup and Guinea Super Cup.
Though he has yet to score a goal in the current campaign occasioned by an injury lay-off, he is racing against fitness ahead of the eagerly awaited quarter final battle against Enyimba.
“I’m yet to score this season because I was injured at the beginning of the CAF Confederation Cup campaign.
“I am back to full fitness and have featured in two matches,” explained Bolaji who scored two goals in the 2017 Total CAF Confederation Cup for Rivers United against Uganda’s KCCA and Morocco’s FUS Rabat.
“I have no scoring secrets other than hard work and assisting my team to score.
“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 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.
Horoya, fondly called ‘HAC’ remain one of the most-feared Guinea side in Nigeria; and older generation would certainly recall with nostalgia how they bundled out Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan on their way to winning the now defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1978.
The Guinean side actually overcame a 3-1 first leg defeat to dispatch Shooting Stars 4-3 on aggregate after they pummelled the Nigerian side 3-0 in the reverse fixture.
“Horoya are still a very strong force and that is one of the reasons I joined them from Rivers United,” Bolaji, who comes from a large family of nine children, told CAFOnline.com.
“I have experienced both the good and bad times since I came here (Conakry) but the most important thing for me is that I have been playing in the continental competitions since I joined Horoya in 2017.
“There’s little difference between Horoya and many Nigerian teams but I can say Horoya is more organised and very consistent in CAF competitions.”
The Guinea champions have shown such consistency in intervening years since 2002 when they have qualified to play on the continent and have currently achieved a near invincibility without losing any of their six games in the mini-league as they romped to the top of Group B with an impressive 14 points out of available 18.
“I’m happy we are in the quarter finals of the CAF Confederation Cup,” said Bolaji, who had a couple of goals to his name in the 2018/2019 Total CAF Champions League.
“Qualifying to play in the CAF Champions League in my first season was such a great experience and one of the unforgettable moments for me since being here was the dramatic manner we beat Al Nasr of Libya in the first round.
“We were written off after we lost 3-0 to Al Nasr in Cairo but we won 6-2 back home in Conakry and I scored two of the goals and made one assist.
“This is the kind of mentality we have here at Horoya and it will propel us against any team.
“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,” affirmed the all-action Bolaji who is a huge fan of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
–cafonline
CAF Confederation Cup
Owolabi Blames Overconfidence, Inexperience for Kwara United’s CAF Confederation Cup Exit
Former Nigeria international, Felix Owolabi, has attributed Kwara United’s elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup by Ghana’s Asante Kotoko to overconfidence and lack of technical depth on the bench.
Commenting after Kotoko’s 1-0 victory in Abeokuta on Sunday, which sealed a 5-3 aggregate win for the Ghanaian giants, the 1980 AFCON winner revealed that he had earlier warned officials of Kwara United about the quality and tactical strength of their opponents.
“Do you know that I was in Ghana for an assignment when I watched Asante Kotoko play in the finals of the FA Cup against Accra Hearts of Oak?” Owolabi said. “The game ended 2-1 in favour of Kotoko, and I heard the President of Ghana promise to support the team in their continental campaign.”
According to him, the Ghanaian leader’s commitment reflected a renewed determination to revive the fortunes of club football in Ghana.
“He said the days of poor showing by Ghanaian teams were over and was ready to back them financially,” Owolabi noted.
The former Shooting Stars star added that he had returned to Nigeria with insights that could have helped Kwara United prepare better.
“I told some of those close to the team that Kotoko’s full-backs and midfielders were their engine room, and they needed a tactical plan that would disorganise them for the entire 90 minutes,” he explained.
Owolabi said he also cautioned that the tie was far from over despite Kwara United’s earlier away goals advantage.
“I warned them not to take qualification for granted until the final whistle. Psychologically, the three away goals made them overconfident,” he said.
The former winger lamented that Kwara United lacked a “matured tactician” to handle such a delicate second leg.
“All they needed was an experienced hand on the bench — someone who understands the dynamics of continental football,” Owolabi added. “It’s unfortunate. Now, it’s like medicine after death.”
He concluded by urging Nigerian clubs to attach greater importance to technical preparedness and experience when representing the country in continental competitions.
“Football has become too dynamic. Even the areas you least expect surprises have become success zones,” he warned.
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Kwara United’s CAF Confederation Cup journey came to an abrupt end on Sunday following a 1–0 defeat to Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.
The slim victory handed the visitors a 5–3 aggregate triumph, sealing their progression to the next round of the continental competition and dashing the hopes of the Harmony Boys, who had entered the return leg needing only a 1–0 win to advance.
After losing a pulsating first leg 4–3 in Accra last weekend, Kwara United were banking on their three away goals to overturn the deficit.
However, Asante Kotoko displayed greater composure and tactical discipline in Abeokuta, frustrating the hosts for much of the contest.
The decisive moment came midway through the second half when the Ghanaians capitalised on a defensive lapse to grab the only goal of the game — a strike that effectively ended any comeback hopes for the Nigerian side.
Despite a spirited late push from the home team, Kotoko held firm, relying on their experience and solid defensive structure to preserve their advantage.
Kwara United’s head coach, Tunde Sanni, had promised an attacking approach, but his side found it difficult to break down a compact Kotoko backline that absorbed pressure and hit on the counter.
The result means the Ilorin-based club’s continental adventure has ended at the preliminary stage, while Asante Kotoko will now turn their focus to a blockbuster next round clash against Moroccan champions Wydad Casablanca.
For Kwara United, the defeat marks a disappointing end to an otherwise promising campaign, but the team will take positives from their spirited away performance in Ghana and look to regroup for the upcoming domestic season.
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Nigeria’s Kwara United are brimming with confidence as they prepare to overturn a narrow first-leg deficit against Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko in this Sunday’s decisive CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round clash at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.
Despite falling 4–3 in a thrilling encounter at the Accra Sports Stadium last weekend, the Harmony Boys returned home with three valuable away goals — a major lifeline that keeps qualification firmly within reach.
A 1–0 or 2–1 win on home soil will be enough to see them through to the next stage.
In a show of intent, the team arrived early in Abeokuta on Monday to fine-tune tactical plans and acclimatize to the playing conditions ahead of the must-win tie.
Training sessions have been intense and focused, with emphasis on tightening the defence and improving finishing in front of goal.
Head coach Tunde Sanni expressed optimism that his players have learned from the first-leg experience, admitting that some key names failed to hit their stride in Accra.
“In that first leg, some of our top players could not come to the party,” Sanni remarked. “This time around, I pray that everybody plays very well so that we won’t concede. We have to beat them convincingly.”
The coach hinted at slight adjustments to his starting lineup but emphasized that the squad’s overall readiness and team spirit remain strong.
“At least one or two changes must be there, but we are set. We can play anybody. Everybody is ready now and understands what is at stake.”
While aware of the defensive risks, Sanni insisted that Kwara United would not compromise their attacking philosophy, which has become a trademark of the Ilorin-based club.
“We are an attacking team. We don’t play defensive football. We always look to attack while maintaining balance,” he added.
Although the team will be without the passionate backing of their Ilorin faithful, Sanni believes the Abeokuta pitch provides the right surface for his players to express themselves.
“Definitely, we’re going to miss our fans, but Abeokuta has a very good pitch, so we can play anywhere,” he noted. “It won’t be easy, but with hard work, we can get the result we need.”
A victory on Sunday would not only avenge last week’s defeat but also secure Kwara United a high-profile final-round clash against Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca — a fixture that would further underline the club’s growing stature in continental football.
For the Harmony Boys, the message is clear: attack with purpose, defend with discipline, and fight till the final whistle — as the journey to Africa’s group stage continues.
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