CAF Champions League
It’s 20 years today since Enyimba broke Nigeria’s CAF Champions League jinx
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
How time flies! It is 20 years today since Enyimba became the first Nigerian club to win Africa’s premier inter-clubs competition, the CAF Champions League.
Before their feat on 12 December 2003, 15 Nigerian clubs had failed in the competition that was previously called the African Cup for Champions Clubs.
But at the Ismaila Stadium in Egypt, Enyimba opened a new chapter in Nigerian football and became the first Nigerian team to claim the African championship after a long 39 year-wait.
Enyimba’s win was not an easy one as they lost 1-0 through a controversial penalty kick to the home side, Ismaili of Egypt but triumphed 2-1 on aggregate after having won the first leg 2-0 in Aba two weeks earlier.
As if the duck-breaking feat was not enough, Enyimba went ahead two months later to add the CAF Super Cup to their silver wares.
Still thirsty for achievement Enyimba again won the Champions League title in 2004 to become the first African side to win back-to-back.
One has to go down far into memory lane to be able to find out the last time a club had successfully defended the title in Africa’s premier inter-club championship.
That was some 36 years before Enyimba’s historic title defence against Tunisian side, Etoile du Sahel, the club they have earlier beaten to lift the CAF Super Cup which pitches the two winners of the continent’s top clubs competition in a single tie.
Like the season before, Enyimba again won the Super Cup early in the Season 2005 after beating Ghana’s Hearts of Oak 3-0 in Aba.
Enyimba were actually gunning for an unprecedented hat trick in the CAF Champions League before they stumbled in the last duel to the semi-final.
Another bold effort by Heartland of Owerri in 2009 saw the club losing in the final to TP Mazembe of Congo DR, bringing back memories of similar near-miss of Enugu Rangers in 1975, Shooting Stars in 1984 and 1996 as well as that of Iwuanyanwu (which later transformed to Heartland) in 1988.
The Enyimba exploits appear to atone for the numerous misses Nigeria had earlier recorded in the premier clubs’ competition which had almost paled in significance in other lands.
Enyimba players burst into spontaneous joy after securing Nigeria’s first win of the contnent’s premier inter clubs competition in Ismaila, Egypt on 12 December 2003.
Egypt’s Pyramids claimed a deserved 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa. This led to a 3-2 aggregate success. They celebrated their first African Champions League title. This triumph occurred following the second leg of this year’s final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.
The first leg in Pretoria finished 1-1. Fiston Mayele gave Pyramids the lead on 23 minutes. He profited from a Sundowns defensive error. Ahmed Samy doubled the advantage on 56 minutes. He scored with a header from a free-kick.
Sundowns pulled a goal back through Iqraam Rayners with 15 minutes remaining. One more goal would have given them victory in the tie on the away goals rule. However, Pyramids held firm despite heavy pressure from the visitors.
Pyramids are the fourth Egyptian side to lift the Champions League trophy after record 12-time winners Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily. Meanwhile, 2016 champions Sundowns head to this month’s Club World Cup in the United States on a low note.
-Reuters
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- 1. Pyramids aim to become the first new CAF Champions League winner since Sundowns (2016), the 13th in the modern era, and the 27th overall.
- 2. This is the 19th Champions League-era final featuring an Egyptian club. Previous teams (Al Ahly 10, Zamalek 1) have won 11 titles.
- 3. Including the pre-Champions League era, this is the 29th final for an Egyptian club, with 18 wins and 10 losses.
- 4. Pyramids have played only 1 of their last 9 matches at home but are unbeaten in their last 23 home games this season (W19 D4) and last 28 overall (W24 D4).
- 5. Pyramids scored in 22 of 23 home games this season; the only blank was a 0-0 draw vs Al Masry.
- 6.This season, they’ve won all 7 home matches, scoring 26 and conceding 6, with one clean sheet. In total, they’ve lost just 1 of 11 home matches in the competition.
- 7. Fiston Mayele leads with 8 goals in 12 matches (5 since group stage); Ibrahim Adel has 6 (also 5 post-group stage).
- 8. Ramadan Sobhi has 5 assists in 9 games (joint-most), plus 2 goals. He’s had major impact off the bench twice.
- 9. Askary Chibi has created 20 chances since the group stage — the most for Pyramids.
- 10. Pyramids have kept 3 clean sheets this season, all away, but remain dominant at home
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- 1. Sundowns are in their third CAF Champions League final (2001, 2016, 2024).
- 2. South African Record: First South African club to reach three finals, surpassing Orlando Pirates (2).
- 3. Sundowns hosted the first leg in all three finals. In 2001, they drew 1-1 at home and lost 2-0 away to Al Ahly.
- 4. Sundowns beat Zamalek 3-0 at home, lost 1-0 away, and won 3-1 on aggregate.
- 5. Sundowns have never scored in an away leg of a Champions League final, conceding five in total.
- 6. The current final marks the second time Sundowns led at home and failed to win (also in 2001).
- 7. A defeat would make Sundowns the first South African side to lose two finals.
- 8. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 10 matches vs Egyptian opposition (4wins and 6 draws).
- 9. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 4 visits to Egypt (2 wins and 2 draws).
- 10. A win would make Sundowns the first team since Al Ahly (2012) to win the title after failing to win the home leg.
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