CAF Confederation Cup
IT’S INJURY TIME ESCAPE TO VICTORY FOR ENYIMBA!
Cyril Olisema scored as late as the 95th minute, as Nigeria’s Enyimba defeated South African visitors Orlando Pirates 1-0 in Aba on Wednesday night to top Group A of the 2020-21 CAF Confederation Cup.
With the score goalless five minutes into injury time, Enyimba was trailing the group on seven points, and with Algeria’s ES Setif leading at home 1-0 to Libya’s Ahly Benghazi at the same time, it was Pirates and Setif who are in the quarterfinals.
But Olisema scored a priceless goal that won Enyimba the game, and shifted his side from the group’s bottom to top, as they levelled Pirates on nine points but with a better head-to-head record on away goals’ rule. Setif tally stopped at eight to leave the tournament with broken hearts.
Enyimba and Pirates will now join the quarterfinals draw, scheduled in Cairo, Egypt on Friday 30 April. Ahly Benghazi trailed the thrilling group on seven points.
In Aba, visitors Pirates were happy to contain their hosts Enyimba for almost the entire game. The People’s Elephant – as Enyimba is nicknamed – threw everything in attack, knowing a single goal could guide them to the quarterfinals. But Pirates defense stood tall till the 95th minute.
But it was to be a very late drama, when substitute Tosin Omoyele found Olisema who scored the goal Enyimba needed, as they celebrated wildly with the final whistle.
Meanwhile in Setif, it was an early bizarre goal that gave the hosts victory. After a cross, the ball rebounded from Benghazi’s Ali Al Qomati’s hand, and while the referee was about to whistle a penalty, his assistant waved that the ball already crossed the goal line to give the hosts a second minute early lead.
Ahli Benghazi tried to find the equalizer but in vain. And while Setif thought that was enough to qualify with the final whistle going while it was still goalless in Aba, they were to have a very late heartbreak with Enyimba snatching the qualification ticket from their hands,
Zamalek commenced their CAF Confederation Cup journey with a 1-0 win over Kenya’s Police in the initial leg of the second preliminary round held in Nairobi this Saturday.
Veteran winger Abdallah El-Saied secured the win for the Whites with a precise strike from outside the box just a minute before halftime.
The Cairo giants, winners of the 2023-2024 CAF Confederation Cup title, started the match with relentless pressure on the hosts to clinch victory in the first leg and alleviate pressure before the upcoming return fixture in Cairo next Friday.
“The most important thing for us was to win and achieve our target,” Zamalek coach Gomes said after the game.
Hosts Police FC of Kenya could not breach Zamalek’s resolute defense in search of an equalizer.
Despite notable summer acquisitions, Zamalek’s coach Jose Gomes opted for a standard lineup, integrating young talents in lieu of seasoned players.
“We are now stronger than the previous season, thanks to spending more time with the team and preparing to play in the tournaments that we will participate in,” the Portuguese coach added.
Conversely, Kenya’s Police FC squandered a clear scoring opportunity against Zamalek, missing a crucial chance fifteen minutes before the final whistle, dashing hopes of leveling the score.
Kenya’s Police FC earned their place in this round following a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate victory over Ethiopia Coffee SC.
-Ahram
Nigeria’s Enyimba played a thrilling 0-0 draw with Burkina Faso’s Etoile Filante in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup second round tie in Bamako on Friday.
There have been three previous confrontation with Burkina Faso teams and this Friday encounter was the second time that Enyimba had had to face Etoile Filante.
According to facts supplied by Opta Nigeria, Etoile Filante were Enyimba’s first ever opponent on the continent 22 years ago in March 2002. Ever since, Enyimba have played 157 times on the continent; the highest by any Nigerian club.
Enyimba carry their advantage to the return leg to be played on 22 September.
Nigeria’s sole survivors in the CAF Confederation Cup,Enyimba will face Burkina Faso sides, Etoile de Filante in the second round of the competition.
Enyimba drew bye in the preliminary round while the Burkina Faso team reached the second round after eliminating Hafia of Guinea.
Enyimba, second runners-up in the Nigerian League will be attempting to win the Confederation Cup for the first time for Nigeria as they did in the Champions League 21 years ago.
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