A good morning this midweek!
Yes by now the CAF Confederation Cup draw for the group stage must have been well digested since it was made on Monday. Two Egyptian clubs, Zamalek and Al Masry, as well as Mozambican Cup holders, Associação Black Bulls, have been drawn alongside the People’s Elephant in Group D of the competition.
The opinions out there are that it is a tough group and I totally agree especially having the current defending champions of the competition, Zamalek, in the mix and then their Egyptian rivals, Al Masry as well. I quite understand the phobia some of our Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs, and to some extent football fans in the country, have when they are drawn to face North African clubs, but this usually do not apply to the People’s Elephant.
Enyimba head coach, Yemi ‘Yema’ Olanrewaju, did tell me after the draw that the group is an open one and no club can claim superiority since a ball has not been kicked yet. He recognizes that Zamalek are a big outfit when we talk of football on the continent but they will also be wary of Enyimba and every team in the group.
Yema is quite surprised that no one is even talking of Black Bulls. He feels unknown sides are often full of surprises but assured that the People’s Elephant are ready for the exertion of the continent.
“It is a good draw because you need to face the best if you must win and be the best. At the moment, it is an open group because no game has been played,” he said. “Zamalek are a top team but they will also be mindful of others in the group. Al Masry is also there. The Mozambique club, Black Bulls, no one is talking much about are also there and we won’t be looking down on them. But we’re ready for this and want to fly Nigeria’s flag in Africa higher like we have always done.”
Yema’s submission points me to Black Bulls and I am wondering what kind of a team do they have. They are quite a young club but ambitious in their own little way. Interestingly I did a little dig up and realized they have five Nigerians on their roster. Ejaita Ifoni, Rume Akporoh, Hammed Oluwasegun Jeleel, Francis Ayuba Abubakar and Osamuyi Great Edeyaru.
These players of Nigerian descent played key roles in their reaching the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup including knocking out Congo’s AS Otoho. Quite impressive I must say for a club that is seven years old.
Zamalek are always formidable but they are beatable. Enyimba can always draw inspiration from their last appearance in this competition in 2020/21 season when they were drawn alongside Orlando Pirates of South Africa, Algeria’s ES Setif and Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya. It was then described as a tough group as well but the People’s Elephant finished top of the pile to reach the quarterfinals before they were knocked out.
Enyimba’s last three appearances in this competition has seen them make it out of the group stage. I think they can make a statement this time by going beyond the knockout stage where they have failed in those three previous occasions.
Now I am sure Yema and his boys will have their minds on continental football which kicks off for them in late November when they travel to Egypt to face Al Masry in their first group game. But for now, the main focus will be Sunday’s fixture versus Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in Ibadan.
I will just leave it here, as there will something to say later this week about the NPFL game billed for the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
They themselves are also afraid of Enyimba.
We are a big team in Africa, no doubt.