‘Bad Enyimba can be kings’

18 July 2011

Enyimba drew 2-2 with Al Hilal in an opening CAF Champions League tie, but club boss Felix Anyansi-Agwu has insisted they will be champions.

“It was a bad day for us but we have learnt some lessons from the game and we are forging ahead,” Anyansi told MTNFootball.com

“If Hilal could come here and get a draw, why can’t we go to Cameroon, Morocco and Sudan to get same or even a win?

“I trust this team to do what the 2003/2004 class did. This is only a temporary setback that will be over by our next games. There is no cause for alarm.”

The two-time African champions failed to make home advantage count as visiting Al Hilal of Sudan shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw in a Group A clash in Aba Sunday.

Two well struck goals from Zimbabwean import Edward Sadomba in the 22nd and 76th minutes of the action-packed match gave the Sudanese champions a vital point at the dreaded Enyimba fortress.

Enyimba first drew level four minutes after the restart thanks to a Valentine Nwaebili powerful pile driver that seemed harmless before the dependable Hilal goalie somehow pushed the ball into his own net.  

It was a reply to Sadomba’s stunner in the 22nd minute of the match.

Enyimba then took the lead on 61 minutes when Peter Onoja’s cross off an infringement very close to Hilal’s 18 yard box was nodded home by striker Kalu Uche.

Al Hilal were back on even terms in the 77th minute when a quickly played free kick caught Enyimba napping in the defence and freed the deadly Zimbabwean Sadomba to score again.

Enyimba started out brightly but they could not translate their dominance into goal as solid defending and the alertness of goalkeeper Goma Genaro Awad kept them at bay throughout the first half.

Nigeria international Yusuf Mohammed and compatriot Otobong Ene Edet Otudor warmed the Al Hilal bench throughout the 90 minutes.

Hilal Serbian coach Micho Sredojevic saluted his team’s doggedness.

“Enyimba are a very good team but it is important to win all your home matches and once you have got some draws away from home you are already coasting home to the semi final,” said ‘Micho’.

“We got Enyimba’s weak point when they were coming out for attack and on two occasions like that we caught them and we capitalised on that.

“The (slippery) pitch really made playing very difficult but my players showed great understanding and we got a deserved draw that could have been better, if not for some good work from the Enyimba defenders.”

The scorer of the Enyimba equaliser, Valentine Nwabili, was picked as the Most Valuable Player on the back of his long-range drive that made a fool of the Hilal shot stopper.