Enyimba FC chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu has declared that his charges will still be in the running for this year’s Caf Champions League after Sunday’s second leg, first round tie against Egyptian club, Smouha Sporting Club.
The Peoples Elephant won the first leg 1-0 on March 15 at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba on thanks to a second half strike by Rafael Boumsoung.
Enyimba, two-time African champions, now walk a tight rope ahead of Sunday’s second leg in Egypt but Anyansi-Agwu who masterminded the club’s two previous successes in 2003 and 2004, has no doubts his charges will pull the chestnut out of the fire.
“Winning 1-0 in Aba is not a bad result. I still recall (English club) Chelsea’s round of 16 tie against (French side) PSG (in the Uefa Champions League.
“Chelsea went to Paris and drew 1-1 but the French side went to London and got the job done. That’s how dynamic football is.
“The Egyptians came (to Aba) to defend. Their tactics were clear - reduce the number of goals they would concede in Aba and they succeeded,” Anyansi-Agwu exclusively told supersport.com.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s second leg clash at the 13,660 capacity Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Anyansi-Agwu predicted that the Egyptians would be more adventurous in their approach, adding that Enyimba “will fully capitalize on that.”
“In their own place, they will want to come out to score and we will fully capitalize on that because we will also want to score.
“I don’t see us not qualifying. I don’t see us losing in Alexandria,” he said.
Bullish talk from Smouha
The Smouha camp is however not treating Sunday’s big game against Enyimba with kids’ gloves.
Head coach of the Egyptian club, Mehdi Toulan claims he prosecuted the first leg in Aba with a weakened side and has warned that things will be completely different on Sunday.
“I am satisfied (with the slim loss in Aba) because I did not play (that first leg) game with ten of my first team players. I am talking about extremely outstanding players who we left behind in Cairo.
“That game against Enyimba was prosecuted (with) reserve team players. Some of the players in question are injured. The others have to serve in the military in Egypt,” Toulan told supersport.com.
The trainer did not deny Anyansi-Agwu’s accusations that Smouha employed “negative” tactics in the first leg claiming that “it is normal to play that way away from home”.
“Of course, it is normal to play that way away from home and the fact that most of our first team players were not here made it even harder.
“However, we could have beaten Enyimba in Aba because we had one good chance in the first half and two good chances in the second half.
“I hope to win in the second leg, Insha Allah (by God’s grace),” he said.
Smouha have never previously competed in Caf club competitions.
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