Fans optimistic Enyimba will get to CCL final

After seeing the group stage draw in Cairo last Tuesday, impressed Nigerian football fans believe Enyimba FC will get to the final of this year’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, and win it for the third time.
Former international, Taiwo Oloyede, is affirmed that “Enyimba is a good side blessed with good players and sound technical crew. In addition, the club has the experience of the league after winning the trophy twice in the past.
“I am confident that the team will qualify from its group and go ahead to play in the final of the competition.”
Former Super Eagles goal tender, Dosu Joseph, said: “Determination is the key word to see Enyimba through. The players and coaches must prepare very well to win all their home matches and at least pick one or two away draws.
“That will see them through.”
Enyimba midfielder, Bartholomew Ibenegbu, dismissed claims that the team should beware of Zamalek FC, saying, “We have been expecting this kind of draw because the eight teams left in this competition are very tough, so we know we won’t be facing easy teams.
“Even with this, we are not moved. All we need do is prepare very hard, and by God’s grace, we will qualify for the semifinal stage.”
Ibenegbu insisted that Enyimba will take one game at a time.
“When we started this competition we set a group stage target for ourselves. And having achieved this, we will take each game as it comes and hopefully qualify for the next round, and from then, we can hope to win the title.”
His teammate, Kelly Kester, said the draw is a perfect one and the team is set for the herculean task. “I think it’s a decent draw. All the clubs involved are great clubs and we are also a great club.
“We believe with God on our side we shall make it out of the group stage.
“We didn’t start the season well because we were still getting to know each other but, as you can see, in the past few months we have really being a force to reckon with.
“We are currently on a run of eight games unbeaten in the domestic league and we are surely going to take that to the continent.”
Enyimba will face Zamalek of Egypt; ES Setif of Algeria, and Sundowns Mamenlodi of South Africa in Group B as it looks to plot a way through to the knockout stages for the third African crown.
The People’s Elephants host the Egyptians in their first game on June 17.
In group A, eight-time champions, Al Ahly of Egypt, take on Asec Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire, Zesco United of Zambia, and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.
Each group is played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up advance to the semifinals.