Decisive moment for Heartland FC
Heartland FC has emerged as the surprise team of the championship because in the beginning, only a few people believed they would get this far. The club had to surmount self inflicted problems that arose over issues which bothered on players sign on fees and allowances. At a point, the players had to stage a […]
Heartland FC has emerged as the surprise team of the championship because in the beginning, only a few people believed they would get this far. The club had to surmount self inflicted problems that arose over issues which bothered on players sign on fees and allowances. At a point, the players had to stage a boycott of training and even threatened to stay away from matches before something was done to pacify them. But before then, then club had lost some vital points and that was enough to cast doubt on Heartland’s ability to get to its present level.
However, by dint of luck and commitment on the side of the players and technical crew led by Kelechi Emetole, the team weathered the storms and ended up qualifying for the finals of this year’s CAF Champions League. After qualifying as runners up in Group B, the club shocked favourites Kano Pillars in the semi-finals to get to this stage. Heartland defeated Pillars home and away with results which proved book makers wrong. Before they clashed, many had tipped Pillars to beat Heartland having eliminated pre-championship favourites Al Ahly of Egypt. Moreover, Pillars had topped their group ahead of Al Hilal of Sudan. Thus, those who gave victory to Pillars were not utterly wrong as going by the competition’s statistics Pillars appeared to be the better side.
Favoured as they were, Pillars fell twice to Heartland as they were beaten 4-0 in Owerri and the following week, inside the Sani Abachi Stadium, Pillars were again humbled with a 0-1 defeat. The two victories confirmed Heartland’s superiority over them. The semi-finals performance of Heartland has no doubt boosted their confidence.
Now, the we can do it spirit has enveloped the entire team and so even as they take on TP Mazembe, two times African Champions, in the first leg match of this year’s finals, Heartland is optimistic of winning convincingly to make the return leg a formality.
When coach of the team, Emetole spoke to Trustsports, he sounded confident even as he did not pretend about the daunting task ahead of his team. He said tomorrow’s match will be a balanced one because both sides are no push over as far as the competition is concerned.
“It will be a very difficult match because both clubs are on equal strength. The match is balanced because in our previous meetings we shared the spoils. When we met here in Owerri, we won them by 2-0. When we went for the return leg in Lubunmbashi, they beat us by the same margin. This tells you that it is going to be a balanced match”.
Emetole said although beating Kano Pillars by a wide margin in Owerri made the return leg of the semi-finals less difficult, his team will be pleased with any score line provided it gives them the three vital points.
“At this stage, what we need is not plenty goals but victory. If we can win by half a goal, that will be okay for us. However, if we end up scoring many goals as we did against Pillars, that will be better for us because it will drastically reduce the pressure on us”.
Emetole noted that the desired motivation is not forthcoming but his players are committed to winning the championship as reward for their enthusiastic fans. He maintained that having come this far, Heartland will not like to let the trophy pass them by.
“In terms of motivation, we are not really getting the desired attention. You can not compare it with what our counterparts get from their sponsors but we don’t want that to distract us. We are focused on winning the Championship. May be when we win things may change for better”.
He said Heartland deserves commendation and so even if nobody cares to shower praises on them, he will behave like the lizard that praised itself when it jumped down from a tall tree without sustaining any injuries.
“I want to commend my team for doing so well in this year. Under one year, we have won the Super Four, we are in the finals of this year’s CAF Champions League and we have qualified for next year’s CAF Champions League. Even if nobody commends us, like the lizard, I must nod my head in praises”.
In the same vein, the club’s highest goals scorer in the competition, Uche Agba who scored thrice against Pillars on the way to the finals is swimming in the same measure of confidence. The 23 year old marksman said “I’m praying for two things, one is that we’ll beat Mazembe home and away and the second thing is that I will be among those to score,”
But one thing the left footed striker knows for sure is that their opponents are no push overs. In terms of experience and honours in the competition, TP Mazembe no doubt boasts of better credentials. In spite of this fact, Agba is confident of a good outing tomorrow.
“Mazembe are strong and that can account for why they are in the finals. But, you see apart from the Government motivation, we (players) have decided we want to win the trophy. That is very important. We need that trophy and we praying to God to grant our request.”
Having come this far, Heartland FC has every reason to sound confident but the players and their coaches must put up a spirited fight in order to come out with a decent result in today’s match. A win will certainly put them firmly on a winning path. However, if they fail to make judicious use of enormous advantages which playing the first leg at home has placed at their disposal, they would be forced to walk a tight rope in the return leg in Lubunmbashi. Heartland players must take their chances, for this is the decisive moment.