…Al Masry Hosts Black Bulls In Port Said…..By: Chinedum Ohanusi
A delegation of players and officials of Nigeria’s Enyimba Int’l FC of Aba, have arrived in Cairo, the capital city of Egypt for their crucial and decisive 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup Group D fixture, against El Zamalek SC of Egypt, on Sunday.
The delegation of 30, comprising at least eighteen players, five Coaches, and other club officials arrived in Cairo on Friday, via the Murtala Mohammed Int’l Airport, in Ikeja, Lagos; and will hold two training sessions, before the must-win tie, for Enyimba FC.
On the trip to Cairo, is former Super Eagles forward, Brown Ideye, the in-form Joseph Atule, and Ifeanyi Ihiemekwala; whom
Coach Stanley Eguma would be relying on, to get the goals, that the two-time African Champions will need to upstage El Zamalek SC, with victory of any margin; and progress to the quarterfinal phase of the 2nd tier CAF Inter-Club Championships.
With 11 points, Zamalek SC aka the White Knights are already through to the knockout phase; ahead of Egyptian rivals, Al Masry who are on 6 points, one point better than Enyimba FC who in turn are a point better than Black Bulls FC of Maputo, in 4th; and the Mozambican side are guests of Al Masry FC in a game to kickoff simultaneously at 5pm, in the coastal town of Port Said.
Enyimba FC could only force Al Masry FC to a face-saving 1-1 draw in Uyo, last weekend, a result that left their chances of making it out of Group D, along with El Zamalek SC hanging delicately by a tread.
Veteran forward, Ideye has however spoken of his desire, and that of his Enyimba teammates, to heed the voice of Coach Eguma, and go to Cairo believing they will beat Egypt’s Zamalek.
“It’s a must-win match for us, Zamalek are a strong team, but we are determined to secure the maximum points”; Ideye asserted.
He added that having already qualified for the next round, Zamalek SC might rest some key players, and that may work in Enyimba’s favour. More so, their Chairman, Nwankwo Kanu has spoken to the players and the motif on Sunday will be to win, and qualify for the quarterfinals” the 2013 Afcon winning Super Eagle enthused.
But even with a win, Enyimba FC will need Al Masry FC to drop points against Black Bulls FC, to be able to finish second, with 8 points, above Al-Masry who are currently on 6 points. It’s also possible that Black Bulls FC can qualify with seven points, should they beat their hosts in Port Said, and Enyimba fails to beat Zamalek SC in Cairo.
El Zamalek SC, who are the CAF Confederation Cup holders, warmed up for Sunday’s duel, by edging a five goal thriller (3-2) against Haras El Hodood FC in the Egyptian Premier League, on Thursday; thanks to a double from Zizo (12th & 45+5 mins), and a solitary strike from Mostafa Shalaby (36th min).
That win, and the maximum points secured from the game, took their points tally to 17, one point adrift of Cairo rivals, Al Ahly SC, who leads the table with 18 points, after 8 rounds of fixtures.
