Two-time winners Enyimba will be facing a familiar foe 1/8th round when it trades tackles with Tunisian giants, Etoile Sportive du Sahel over two legs for a place at the lucrative pool stages.
The history of both clubs in the competition is legendary and the 2004 edition readily comes to mind when the ‘Peoples Elephant’ as Enyimba are nicknamed braved the odds to defeat Etoile on penalties after a 3-3 tie on aggregate.
Enyimba, the only surviving Nigerian club in the continental club championship this year, will be banking on the goal scoring prowess of Mfon Udoh who is the all-time top marksman in the domestic league, a record he inscribed two seasons ago with 23 goals, to be complemented with the likes of Joseph Osadiaye, Stephen Chukwude, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Leonard Ugochukwu, Christian Pyagbara, Nzube Anaezemba and a host of other top quality performers available for coach Paul Aigbogun to select from.
Having successfully navigated its way past Ugandan and Burundian champions, Vipers and Vital’O respectively in the preliminary and 1/16th round, with a 2-1 and 6-3 aggregate wins, Enyimba has all it takes to overcome the 2007 winners in this encounter at their adopted, 45,000-capacity Adokie Amiesiamaka Stadium in Port-Harcourt to make the return leg a mere formality.
Aigbogun, who re-joined the team at the start of the season is very optimistic of leading Enyimba as far as the ultimate of this year’s championship and says “no doubt, it is going to be a difficult stage of the competition but not as difficult as the stages we have successfully navigated.
“We are going to give the game more than a 100 per cent in both legs and I’m very optimistic we shall qualify for the group stage. We are not shot of quality players to achieve our lofty aims”.
“One good thing about this round is that there are no more unknown teams. We can get some details on how our opponent, Etoile, play just as we are sure they also know much about us. We shall approach the encounter as if it is the final of the competition. Our best shot is what we shall put on display,” added Aigbobun.
Etoile drew a bye at the prelims and overcame Moroccan side, OC Khourigba 3-1 on aggregate and will give the Nigerians a good run their monies worth.
Coach Faouzi Benzarti will be banking on the attacking prowess of Ahmed Akaichi, Michailou Drame, Hamza Lahmar, Alaya Brigui amongst others to cause the backline of Enyimba some troubles while trusting combative Cameroonian Franck Kom and Mohamed Ben Amor with midfield duties to screen his defensive line anchored by Rami Bedoui and Hamdi Nagguez to take a respectable result back home.
Udoh who already has four goals to his name in this year’s campaign added: “I know that the higher we go the tougher the competition, but to be champion, we have to beat all and the team is poised to do just that. Etoile is a strong side but I believe we are stronger. We have been playing as a team and against the Tunisians, it won’t be different. Sure, there will be goals but I don’t how many.”
The current squad are hoping to emulate the golden class of 2003 and 2004 that had likes of Vincent Enyeama, Yusuf Mohammed, Ajibade Omolade, Musa Aliyu, Ugah Opara, Obinna Nwaneri, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Damian Udeh, Joetex Frimpong, Emeka Nwanna, Jerome Ezoba, Muri Ogunbiyi, David Tyavkase, Ndidi Anumunu, Ogbonna Okemiri and a host of others who dominated the continent.
Fixtures
Saturday, 9 April 2016
El Merreikh (Sudan) vs ES Setif (Algeria)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) vs TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Stade Malien (Mali) vs Zesco United (Zambia)
Young Africans (Tanzania) vs Al Ahly (Egypt)
ASEC Mimosas (Egypt) vs Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
Zamalek (Egypt) vs MO Bejaia (Algeria)
Sunday, 10 April 2016
AS Vita (DR Congo) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Enyimba (Nigeria) vs Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
Enyimba, the only surviving Nigerian club in the continental club championship this year, will be banking on the goal scoring prowess of Mfon Udoh who is the all-time top marksman in the domestic league, a record he inscribed two seasons ago with 23 goals, to be complemented with the likes of Joseph Osadiaye, Stephen Chukwude, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Leonard Ugochukwu, Christian Pyagbara, Nzube Anaezemba and a host of other top quality performers available for coach Paul Aigbogun to select from.
Having successfully navigated its way past Ugandan and Burundian champions, Vipers and Vital’O respectively in the preliminary and 1/16th round, with a 2-1 and 6-3 aggregate wins, Enyimba has all it takes to overcome the 2007 winners in this encounter at their adopted, 45,000-capacity Adokie Amiesiamaka Stadium in Port-Harcourt to make the return leg a mere formality.
Aigbogun, who re-joined the team at the start of the season is very optimistic of leading Enyimba as far as the ultimate of this year’s championship and says “no doubt, it is going to be a difficult stage of the competition but not as difficult as the stages we have successfully navigated.
“We are going to give the game more than a 100 per cent in both legs and I’m very optimistic we shall qualify for the group stage. We are not shot of quality players to achieve our lofty aims”.
“One good thing about this round is that there are no more unknown teams. We can get some details on how our opponent, Etoile, play just as we are sure they also know much about us. We shall approach the encounter as if it is the final of the competition. Our best shot is what we shall put on display,” added Aigbobun.
Etoile drew a bye at the prelims and overcame Moroccan side, OC Khourigba 3-1 on aggregate and will give the Nigerians a good run their monies worth.
Coach Faouzi Benzarti will be banking on the attacking prowess of Ahmed Akaichi, Michailou Drame, Hamza Lahmar, Alaya Brigui amongst others to cause the backline of Enyimba some troubles while trusting combative Cameroonian Franck Kom and Mohamed Ben Amor with midfield duties to screen his defensive line anchored by Rami Bedoui and Hamdi Nagguez to take a respectable result back home.
Udoh who already has four goals to his name in this year’s campaign added: “I know that the higher we go the tougher the competition, but to be champion, we have to beat all and the team is poised to do just that. Etoile is a strong side but I believe we are stronger. We have been playing as a team and against the Tunisians, it won’t be different. Sure, there will be goals but I don’t how many.”
The current squad are hoping to emulate the golden class of 2003 and 2004 that had likes of Vincent Enyeama, Yusuf Mohammed, Ajibade Omolade, Musa Aliyu, Ugah Opara, Obinna Nwaneri, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Damian Udeh, Joetex Frimpong, Emeka Nwanna, Jerome Ezoba, Muri Ogunbiyi, David Tyavkase, Ndidi Anumunu, Ogbonna Okemiri and a host of others who dominated the continent.
Fixtures
Saturday, 9 April 2016
El Merreikh (Sudan) vs ES Setif (Algeria)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) vs TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Stade Malien (Mali) vs Zesco United (Zambia)
Young Africans (Tanzania) vs Al Ahly (Egypt)
ASEC Mimosas (Egypt) vs Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
Zamalek (Egypt) vs MO Bejaia (Algeria)
Sunday, 10 April 2016
AS Vita (DR Congo) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Enyimba (Nigeria) vs Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
By: cafonline.com
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