CAF Confederation Cup
REFEREE WHO REJECTED PLATEAU BRIBE TO OFFICIATE ENYIMBA CAF TIE
South African referee, Victor Gomes, who allegedly turned down a $30,000 bribe from Plateau United to swing the result of their CAF Champions League tie against USM Alger in 2018, has been appointed as the centre referee for the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final matchup between Egyptian side Pyramids FC and Enyimba on May 16.
Gomes will be assisted by his compatriots, Zakeli Soyza and Alsinkosi Nudjeni, while Thando Nazandinka will serve as the fourth referee, while Libyans Jamal Salem and Essam Sharafuddin will serve as the match assessors.
The first leg of the knockout phase is scheduled for the Air Defense Stadium in Cairo, behind closed doors, while the second leg is billed for the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba on May 23.
Gomes in 2018 reported Plateau United to the Confederation of African Football for offering him a $30,000 bribe to swing their match against Algerian side, USM Alger, in their favour, which he claimed to have turned down.
Pyramids who lost the final of the 2019/20 Confederation Cup season to RS Berkane will be hoping to move past their Nigerian opponent while Enyimba are aiming to move past the quarter-final stage, the position they crashed out last season.
The People’s Elephant finished top of Group A with nine points ahead of South Africa’s Orlando Pirates while Pyramids came second in Group D behind Raja Casablanca, ending their group campaign on 12 points.
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-The Punch
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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