CAF Confederation Cup
DAYO OJO BELIEVES ENYIMBA WILL SHOUT HOSANNA AFTER HASSANIA CLASH
Enyimba midfielder Dayo Ojo has said a Cup final doesn’t come bigger than his side’s CAF Confederation Cup crucial penultimate clash against Hassania Agadir on Sunday at the Aba International Stadium.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who reached the semi-finals of the second-tier continental competition with Sunshine Stars in 2011, has been one of the mainstays in the People’s Elephant campaign this term and reckons anything short than a demanding African final mentality against the Moroccan visitors would spell doom for their aspirations.
Incidentally, the Moroccans are in pole position in Group B with ten points from their last four matches while Enyimba are second with six points, but Ojo said Sunday’s encounter is a must-win for his side in order to consolidate their position on the table towards qualification for the quarter finals.
“We all know the importance of this upcoming match against Hassania Agadir in Aba,” Ojo told CAFOnline.com
“Sunday’s match against Hassania Agadir is like a Cup final for us because we need a very good result to help us through to the quarterfinals; as such we have to fight our way through.
Hassania is not a small team and the fact that they beat us the last time we met in the group would give us the extra motivation to go against them.”
Enyimba, two-time African Champions, have struggled to impress in recent times and have conceded defeats twice away to Hassania Agadir (2-0) and Paradou AC (1-0) while they claimed victory at home against San Pedro (1-0) and a 4-1 thrashing of Paradou AC.
Now under interim coach Fatai Osho who took over from Usman Abdallah, who parted ways on the back of some insipid results on both the continent and Nigerian soccer scene, Ojo said the Nigerian flagbearers would be up and running.
“Come Sunday, we know what to expect from Hassania. North African teams are usually fast and tricky but we shall be ready to counter them,“ assured Ojo.
“They defeated us 2-0 when we played against them in Agadir with the climate affecting us. But we shouldn’t have any reason to complain on Sunday.
“We just need to work extra hard and be vigilant so that we can get the maximum points that will enhance our position on the log.”
Ojo has been involved in five matches so far but he explained Enyimba have strength in depth to battle their way through this group stage, adding that the whole of the People’s Elephant is greater than the sum of its parts.
“We have so many good players here and honestly, you can’t say this particular player or that player would be the joker for the team,” he assured.
“This is not a team that depends on one or two players because we have so many players that can rise to the occasion when the chips are down; and I’m sure we would all be ready against Hassania on Sunday.”
“I’m here on a mission too; this is my first season with Enyimba and I will be happy to be part of the team that will help them win this particular CAF Confederation Cup which they have not won before.
“I want to win titles because this is one of the best platforms to achieve such dreams and I hope I can realise such dreams in my first season here.
Ojo, who missed the 2-0 away loss to Hassania on Match Day 1, said he personally has a score to settle with the Moroccans after being part of Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles that lost to host Morocco in the final match of the 2018 edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“Every match is an opportunity to learn new things and I can’t forget how the Moroccans beat us in the CHAN final in 2018,” he said.
“I always like to play back and review past matches and I would be sharing so much with my teammates because Moroccans are fast with the ball but we are going to do our best to curtail them in Aba on Sunday,” noted Ojo.
Equally, coach Osho has also weighed-in on the readiness of his wards, saying all hands are on deck to ensure victory on Sunday:
“They (players) have not allowed anything to weigh them down. The attitude in training has been good, and if we continue for the next two days, we’ll be ready (against Hassania Agadir).”
-Caf
CAF Confederation Cup
Enyimba drawn against Etoile de Filante in Confederation Cup
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ENYIMBA.jpg)
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.
CAF Confederation Cup
Again, Benin overcomes Nigeria as El Kanemi crashes out of Confederation Cup
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/el-kanemi-v-Dadje.png)
Just two months after Benin Republic recorded their first ever defeat of the Nigerian national football team, Super Eagles, a Benin club, Dadje has knocked out one of Nigeria’s representatives from the CAF Confederation Cup – El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.
Dadje won 2-1 to get a 3-2 aggregate win after the first leg played last week ended 1-1.
CAF Confederation Cup
Benin Republic offers 8,000 free tickets to boost support for Dadje FC over El Kanemi
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/el-kanemi-v-Dadje.png)
One of Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup, El Kanemi Warriors have a mountain to climb as they face Dadje FC this evening at the General Mathieu Kerekou Stadium in Cotonou.
Their hosts, Dadje FC carry a slight advantage into the match after obtaining a 1-1 draw last weekend in Ikenne.
A goalless draw is enough for them to sail into the second round. But not leaving anything to chances,massive home support is being planned for them as the Benin FA offered 8,000 free tickets to fans.
Dadjè FC, the Benin league runners-up escaped with a precious 1-1 draw against the El Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria.
Thanks to added time, it would have been a different story for El Kanemi who only achieved parity in the sixth minute of added time.
They had conceded a goal earlier when Salassi Bless put the Beninese ahead. El Kanemi will have to score and win this evening if they are to join Enyimba in the second round.
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