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CAF Confederation Cup

NIGERIA’S ENUGU RANGERS AMONG LEADING AFRICAN CLUBS LONG FOR CAF TITLE

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A number of popular African clubs who have not won a continental competition for a long time will be in CAF Confederation Cup play-offs first-leg action this weekend, AFP reports. 

It is 42 years since Nigerians Enugu Rangers won the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup and Ghanaians Asante Kotoko lifted the African Cup of Champions Clubs trophy 36 years ago. 

Kenyans Gor Mahia and South Africans Kaizer Chiefs raised the African Cup Winners Cup 32 and 18 years ago respectively.

Egyptians Zamalek can boast of nine CAF titles, but their last success was in 2003 when they won the CAF Super Cup.

Asante Kotoko
Kotoko, who have the unwanted CAF record of losing seven of nine finals, struggled to get past Kenyans Kariobangi Sharks after receiving a preliminary round walkover. They now face the 2008 Champions League runners-up, Cameroonians Coton Sport, with the first leg in Yaounde. Coton are likely to prove stronger opponents than Sharks and Kotoko will do well to leave central Africa level on aggregate. 

Enugu Rangers
The draw favoured Rangers as they were paired with Lesotho outfit Bantu FC, one of the weakest of the 30 title contenders playing this weekend. Bantu were demoted from the Champions League to the Confederation Cup without winning any of their four matches and it is hard to imagine them shocking the Nigerians, at home or away.

In Godwin Aguda and Bright Silas, Enugu have attackers who scored three goals each to help eliminate Ethiopians Defence Force and Algerians USM Bel Abbes in qualifiers. 

Gor Mahia
The Nairobi club have been steadily improving in Africa, becoming the first Kenyan qualifiers for the Confederation Cup group stage last year. Gor almost achieved an even greater success in the current Champions League, but conceded a late goal away to Nigerians Lobi Stars and missed out on a group place. They host Cameroonians New Star, whose five-goal striker Junior Ngongang is the leading scorer in this Confederation Cup. 

Chiefs
Chiefs, who have won 53 domestic trophies since being formed 49 years ago but only one in Africa, will lack injured goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune away to Zambians Zesco United. His absence was sorely felt last weekend with a blunder by Namibian stand-in Virgil Vries gifting a undeserved victory to Mamelodi Sundowns in a key league match. 

Zesco sharpshooter Lazarous Kambole, whose five-minute hat-trick last season was the fastest in a CAF club match, poses a major threat to the Soweto outfit.

Zamalek
After several seasons in the doldrums and being overshadowed by arch rivals Al Ahly, the Cairo White Knights are leading the Egyptian title race under Swiss coach Christian Gross. They took this good form into Africa last month to slam seven goals past Chadians ASCOT in the home leg of a qualifier with Congolese Kabongo Kasongo bagging a brace. Away to Moroccans Ittihad Tanger this weekend, Zamalek will probably be satisfied to avoid defeat, then use home advantage to emerge overall winners.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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CAF Confederation Cup

‘Nzogbu Nzogbu’ Enyimba enyi as Enyimba limp into Confederation Cup Group stage!

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It was not easy, but the end justified the means. Enyimba had to go through the lottery of penalty shoot-out to get into the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday in Uyo after playing a barren draw with visiting Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso.

 The first leg also ended goalless leading to penalty shoot-out as tie breaker. Enyimba won 3-2 on penalties.

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CAF Confederation Cup

CAF Confederation Cup: Enyimba target victory after Solid Showing in Bamako

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Enyimba FC head coach Yemi Olarenwaju has set his sights on securing a crucial victory in Sunday’s second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup tie against Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou.

His confidence is built on the  goalless draw in the first leg in Bamako.

“The job is far from over, and we can’t afford to celebrate yet. The return leg in Uyo will be crucial,” Olarenwaju was quoted by the club’s website as saying.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board, work harder, and prepare for the challenge ahead.”

Olarenwaju praised his team’s tactical edge and discipline, which nullified the hosts’ attacking threats. “We had a clear game plan, and the players executed it perfectly. Our tactical discipline prevented Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou from creating any meaningful scoring opportunities.”

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The Enyimba FC boss acknowledged the tough opposition but remains confident in his team’s ability to secure a win at home.

“Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou is a formidable opponent, but we have the quality and determination to get the job done in Uyo.”

As we look forward to the return leg, we urge all Enyimba FC fans to come out in their numbers and support the team at the Uyo Stadium. Let’s make our home advantage count and cheer the People’s Elephant to victory!

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CAF Confederation Cup

Enyimba’s midfielder, Daga confident of Confederation Cup group stage ticket

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Enyimba’s midfielder,  Daniel Daga, has pledged to lead club to victory against Etoile Filante in the return leg of the CAF Confederation Cup second round on Sunday.

The People’s Elephant are looking to build on their impressive performance in the first leg, which ended in a goalless draw in Bamako, Mali. Despite creating several scoring opportunities, Enyimba were unable to find the back of the net.

However, Daga remains optimistic about their chances in the return leg having missed the first leg of the encounter due to a slight knock

“Our resolve is to win and advance to the group stages,” he stated confidently. “We understand that they are a difficult opponent, but we have just one task, which is to win, and that is exactly what we are going to do.”

A win for Enyimba FC would guarantee their spot in the group stages, a feat that would make them the only Nigerian team in the competition’s group phase.

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“We know the importance of this match, and we’re ready to give it our all,” Daga added. “We want to make Nigeria proud and show that we’re a force to be reckoned with in African football.”

Head coach, Yemi Olarenwaju, has been fine-tuning his tactics, and the team is eager to execute their game plan.

“The first leg result gives us an advantage, but we won’t take anything for granted,” Olarenwaju said. “We’ll push for victory and secure our spot in the group stages.”

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