Enyimba midfielder, Kingsley Sokari, believes the ‘Peoples Elephant’ will survive the Smouha challenge in Alexandria despite leading the Egyptian team by only one goal.
Enyimba, which defeated Smouha by a lone goal in the first leg of the second round tie in Aba, will face the Egyptian side on Sunday in Alexandria. Sokari, who just returned from a national team assignment with the Super Eagles in South Africa, draws his optimism from the ability of Enyimba to surmount North African challenge even when they had been written off.
He said, “We have faced more dicey situations in the past and we came out of them stronger. I believe this one will not be any different. “We would have beaten them by a higher margin in Aba, but luck was not on our side. Now, they will come out to attack in the second leg, which would suit us.” Also sure the ‘Peoples Elephant’ would survive in Alexandria, Enyimba Chairman, Felix Anyansi Agwu, insists there is nothing to worry about in Egypt on Sunday.
“The fans may feel our chances are slim, but we know that this Egyptian team are not extraordinary; we must therefore, believe we can go to Alexandria and qualify. “They came here with a plan. To defend and not concede many goals and somehow they succeeded in doing that, but what I know is that in Egypt, the game will be more open that it was here.
That is because they will come out to attack and give us space to counter-attack and ultimately score them. I am not worried at all. As far as I know, this is a good result.” Enyimba will depart for Egypt on Friday for the game scheduled for Sunday.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) revealed yesterday that a letter from the Egyptian Football Association says the match will be played at the Alexandria Stadium in Egypt’s second city, starting from 5.00 p.m. Egypt time.
Meanwhile, the country’s other flag bearer in the CAF Champions League, Kano Pillars, say they will try to cancel their 0-4 deficit against Moroccan side, Moghreb Athletic Tetouane, at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Despite the huge goals deficit, Chairman of the Pillars’ Champions League Campaign Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, says the Nigerian champions will sail into the next round.
