CAF Confederation Cup
CAF Confederation Cup: Bendel Insurance FC land in Casablanca for win or bust clash with RS Berkane
The Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, on Tuesday arrived Casablanca, the cosmopolitan city of Morocco ahead of their second leg continental clash with Renaissance De Sportive Berkane in the second preliminary round of the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup.
The crucial CAF engagement is scheduled to hold on Friday in Berkane, Morocco.
The Bendel Insurance FC team flew in aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight, which touched down at the Mohammed V. International Airport, Casablanca at about 1pm, Nigerian time.
They were received by Emmanuel Ovye Oliver, the protocol assistant and some other officials of the Nigeria Embassy in Morocco who were on ground at the airport.
The Nigerian representative were forced to a 2-2 draw by RS Berkane at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, in Benin City, on Saturday, September 16.
Coach Monday Odigie said they are confident to defend their pride and dignity in Morocco in the return leg clash.
The stand-in captain of Insurance FC, Amas Obasogie, said: “Knowing the honour that awaits us if we beat our opponent to qualify for the group stage, we are going to fight for everything in the field of play to go home victorious. We made two mistakes in Benin and will not want a repeat.
“We are facing a very strong opponent who have been champions twice in a space of three years but we will not allow their intimidation to affect our play. They should expect a good fight from us the way they also fought in Benin.”
While Obasogie noted, “Above all, we want to fight to win for our State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, who has been wonderful in giving his all in sponsorship and motivation that has taken us this far both in the domestic league and at the continental level.”
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.
Zimbabwe sports minister among candidates for International Olympic Committee presidency
World Athletics boss, Coe and multi-millionaire Eliasch among seven candidates for IOC presidency
Storm in CAF over proposed statutes amendments
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
AFCON6 days agoSuper Eagles lead Afcon Group D qualifiers despite Benin’s defeat of Libya
-
AFCON5 days agoAustin Eguavoen remains the ‘Big Boss’, says NFF
-
AFCON6 days agoWhy I benched Osimhen again – Eguavoen
-
AFCON4 days agoRwanda newspaper gives 5 lessons gleaned from Rwanda-Nigeria clash
-
Nigerian Football5 days agoWesterhof recommends Siasia for Super Eagles’ job
-
AFCON6 days agoNigeria’s managerial crisis resumes as Eguavoen reportedly declines to continue
-
AFCON1 week agoHurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!
-
AFCON4 days agoPresent and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen