Nigerian trio face daunting task in CAF competitions

They are Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt, Sunshine Stars of Akure and Heartland FC of Owerri. Wolves, the other Nigerian representative in the CAF Confederation Cup on Friday defeated FC Kallon of Sierra Leone 2-0 to reach the last 16 in the competition. CAF Champions League representatives Dolphins of Port Harcourt and Sunshine Stars of […]

They are Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt, Sunshine Stars of Akure and Heartland FC of Owerri. Wolves, the other Nigerian representative in the CAF Confederation Cup on Friday defeated FC Kallon of Sierra Leone 2-0 to reach the last 16 in the competition.

CAF Champions League representatives Dolphins of Port Harcourt and Sunshine Stars of Akure are the most affected, having posted unfavorable results against their opponents in the first leg matches played two weeks ago.

While Dolphins won 2-1 at home against Cotonsport of Cameroon, Sunshine Stars for their part suffered a crushing 1-4 loss in the first leg to host Clube Recreativo Desportivo do Libolo of Angola, making today’s return leg at the Dipo Dino Stadium, Ijebu Ode a difficult one.

The only result which appears comfortable was the one involving Heartland FC of Owerri and US Haunt of Douala Cameroon, which ended 0-0 in far away Doula.

As daunting at the task of progressing to the next stage in the competitions appears, the three clubs are talking tough and have assured their teeming soccer fans of picking the berths to move ahead.

Coach Stanley Eguma of Dolphin, whose side will be guests of the Cameroonian double champions in Garoua, northern Cameroon, said that his team has what it takes to advance to the next round of the competition even though they failed to make the most of home advantage in the first leg.

The former national U-20 assistant coach blamed the unimpressive showing of his wards in the first leg in Port Harcourt to the earlier protest embarked upon by the boys over their unpaid allowances.

“I know most of our fans have ruled out our chances this weekend because of the narrow score line from the first leg. But remember this is football and everything is possible,” he said.

“One thing I can tell you is that I am confident that my team has what it takes. We have the experience and the players to do the job. We just need the fans to believe in us and we will deliver.”

“We should have posted a better result in the first leg but for the protest by the boys over their unpaid allowances. The protest denied us two training days but all that has been sorted out now”, Eguma stated.

Eguma is banking on the experience of star players like Hassan Hussein has rejoined the team from the national team training camp in Abuja, Ifeanyi Egwim, Emma Nwachi, Owusu Addae and Isiaka Olawale to turn the table against the hosts today.

Similarly, Sunshine Stars said they could overturn a 4-1 loss at Recreativo of Angola to reach the third round of the CAF Champions League.

Last four of last year’s CAF Confederation Cup, Sunshine, who suffered a crushing defeat a fortnight, blamed the huge loss to a lapse in concentration at the tail end of the match and promised to make amends.

Sunshine, who are having its first appearance in the lucrative and money-spinning continental club competition, however said they will erase the scores and also keep clean sheet to advance in the competition at the expense of the Angolans.

The club’s captain Godfrey Obaobona said it is a task they can achieve, even as he admitted that it is going to be tough.

“It’s still very possible for us to make the next round of the Champions League. I know the Angolan side is very good, but if they could score four against us, nothing stops us from doing the same when they come here. It is going to be tough no doubt, but I am sure we can make it,” he said.

Though one cannot rule out the possibility of the Cameroonian representatives causing an upset in Owerri, the task ahead of the Naze Millionaires is much easier, compare to the one ahead of the Champions League campaigners, as an unreplied lone goal could see the Owerri team through to the next stage of the second tier continental football competition.

Heartland experienced defender Chinedu Efugh has expressed confidence that the Naze Millionaires will win well today against Cameroon’s only flag bearer in the second-tier continental competition and move to the next stage of the competition.

“Sunday’s (today) game is a must-win for us and we will go ahead and win it,” assured Efugh.

“We may not have being doing so well in the league but this is a different scenario and the Cameroonians would not stand in our way in achieving continental glory this year.

“Yes, we understand the fact that the game is still very open due to the outcome of the first leg and that is why we shall give the game all it deserves to come out winners”, Efugh, scorer of Heartland’s Federation Cup winner last year against Enyimba said.

Heartland’s Dutch Coach Lodewijk de Kruif has rejoined the team and will parade gifted players like sharp shooter Kabiru Umar to make his dream of conquering US Haunt a reality.