Enyimba Coach Remains Optimistic About Victory Against Pyramids
Enyimba coach Fatai Osho insists the Nigerian club can reach the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals despite needing to overcome a three-goal deficit when they host Egyptian outfit Pyramids FC on Sunday.
Goals by Ramadan Sobhy and Ibrahim Adel came gift-wrapped from hesitant and careless defenders as 2020 runners-up Pyramids established a 4-1 quarter-final first-leg advantage over Enyimba.
“This tie is not over,” Osho said in an interview. “Some shocking defending, tiredness and a lack of concentration cost us dearly in Cairo.”
“We were not three goals worse than our opponents.”
Enyimba have won all four home matches in the Confederation Cup, but each victory has been by a one-goal margin with the team from the city of Aba in Abia State averaging only 1.5 goals per match.
Captain Augustine Oladapo, Victor Mbaoma and Cyril Olisema have claimed seven of the eight goals Enyimba scored in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League. For the Nigerians to progress, the trio will have to be at their best to send Enyimba through to the semi-finals.
Pyramids have their sights on the semi-finals and a probable meeting with Raja, who beat the Cairo club twice in the group stages.
Chidi Nwoke/The Guardian.
