CAF Confederation Cup
VIDEO: Ahead of continental and NPFL opener, old sheriff returns to Remo Stars with new and improved tactics
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
In what looks like a deft tactical move, Remo Stars, the 23rd Nigerian clubside to go into the elusive CAF Confederation Cup competition have reappointed their old coach who was sent to Portugal for retraining last season.
Coach Daniel Ogunmodede was at the weekend unveiled by the club’s CEO, Adedoyin Ogungbefun as the man to guide the team through the rough terrain of both the 2022/23 NPFL and the CAF Confederation Cup.
Ogunmodede is not new at the club. He guided Remo Stars from the lower rung of the Nigerian League ladder to the NPFL.
He was thereafter seconded to the Portuguese twin clubside to Remo Stars, CD Feirense, a 104 year old club also owned by Hon. Kunle Soname, the silent, but efficient owner of Remo Stars.
Ahead of the potentially challenging season in which Remo Stars will bring CAF interclub match to Ogun State for the first time since 1 November 1987 when Abiola Babes beat Tunisia’s Esperance 1-0 in Abeokuta, the Remo Stars Stadium is undergoing a face lift to be able to host international matches.
Lagos-based club, the now defunct Julius Berger in the early part of the century played their African Winners Cup duels in Abeokuta.
CAF inspector teams are being expected ahead of the opener of the Confederation Cup which enters its 20th edition in this new season.
Twenty two Nigerian clubs have featured since the competition debuted in 2004 following the merger of the previous Winners Cup and the CAF Cup.
Remo Stars are one of the two representatives for Nigeria as the second flagbearer will emerge from the ongoing Aiteo Cup.
Retuning coach, Ogunmodede has promised a sensational outing for Remo Stars as he intends to sustain the culture of the team.
Speaking after being unveiled for his ‘second missionary’ journey with the club, Ogunmodede remarked: “ the young players of the club now have a bigger platform to showcase themselves”.
He said this in apparent reference to the club being the second one to go continental after the over three decade lacuna since the era of Abiola Babes.
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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