CAF CC: Implications of Enyimba's Make or Mar Game Vs Raja Casablanca

CAF CC: Implications of Enyimba's Make or Mar Game Vs Raja Casablanca .....What Enyimba Must Do To Beat Raja Casablanca By Admin Losing a home game is not the desire of any football club, not when it is a decisive stage of a competition. This is understandably so because only few teams have come back from a home defeat to progress. For example, when in 2015, Arsenal went to France to beat AS Monaco 2-0 in one of the knockout stages of the Champions League; the win had no impact in their progression having lost 1-3 at home. Monaco had done the job at the Emirates and merely savoured the opportunity in France to progress on the strength of away goal rule after the two clubs tied at 3-3. Now, Nigeria’s sole remainder in continental football, Enyimba of Aba, incidentally have found themselves needing more than mother luck to qualify for the final of this year’s CAF Confederation Cup after losing 0-1 at home to Raja Casablanca of Morocco penultimate Wednesday. Raja took the lead through Abdelilah Hafidi in the 48th minute and all Enyimba’s efforts to come back were thwarted by their visitors. On Wednesday, Enyimba will come against Raja at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, Morocco, where the former Nigerian champions will be expected to pull the chestnut out of fire and qualify for the final of the only title yet to grace their already saturated trophy cabinet. Meanwhile, Enyimba’s possible progression in this competition, though against all odds, is very significant in a number of ways. For example, earlier this year and following the failure of both Plateau United and MFM, as well as Akwa United in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, the Confederation of Africa Football clamped down on Nigeria, reducing the country’s continental football slots to only one team for the two competitions. For many years now, Nigeria along with 11 other countries whose leagues were rated among the top 12 in the continent, had the privilege of fielding two clubs in each of the two continental contests. The top 12 countries are usually decided based on a five-year ranking of their clubs’ performances on the continent and it has been conducted since 2004. CAF uses this to determine the number of clubs each affiliated national league association is eligible to enter in both the Champions league and Confederation Cup for a particular term. So, the poor performances of Rangers, FC IfeanyiUbah, Nasarawa United and Rivers United in the penultimate season, as well as Plateau United and MFM’s ousters in this year’s continental football competitions meant that Nigeria fell behind the top 12 ranked countries. Looking at Nigeria’s performances on the continent in the last five years reveals startling truth about the country’s failures in the period under consideration. In the last five years and apart from Enyimba in 2016, no Nigerian club made it to the group stage of the CAF Champions League. Almost similar sad tale was recorded in the CAF Confederation Cup. In the second tier club competition, Nigeria’s record in the last five years can best be described as horrible. But for Rivers United, who dropped down to the Confederation Cup from the 2017 CAF Champions League, no club from Nigeria made it to the group stage of the competition except Enyimba, who are currently in the semifinal. So, taking into account the country’s poor showing within the period, where it dropped vital point-ratings, the country now rank outside the top 12 nations and will, from next edition of continental football, produce one club for each of the two competitions. Already, Lobi Stars and the Federation Cup’s yet-to-be-known winner will fly the country’s flag next season. Now, by virtue of Enyimba’s progression to the semifinal this year’s CAF Confederation Cup, Nigeria has earned about 10 points and a further push for a final berth will increase the point haul. Also, a good performance for Lobi Stars and Nigeria’s representatives in the Confederation Cup next year will also help in shoring up the points. This is why everything must be done to ensure that Enyimba pass the Raja test on Wednesday. According to stakeholders, qualification for Enyimba is very difficult but certainly not impossible if the club could show resilience. Speaking to the media recently, Coach Usman Abdallah said that all was not lost in the encounter, sounding upbeat that the Peoples Elephants could get the job done in Casablanca. “But this game will only be won or lost after the second leg. We have seen them very well and so we will organise and see what we can do against them. Winning is possible.” That is reassurance from the coach, but if Enyimba must prove bookmakers wrong on Wednesday, the coach must correct some lapses which assisted the Moroccans in their victory in Aba. For example, it is believe Enyimba’s match so far in the Confederation Cup was largely dependent on determination, individual brilliance and fortune, and that they rarely cut the image of a tactically drilled side. The coach might have taking Enyimba’s match for granted, failing to do a ground work in preparation for the Raja match in Aba. His continued deployment of 4-4-2 formation with little or no creativity in the middle, as well as lack of effective forward cost him the match because the visitors ceased the middle completely. Enyimba failed to pose any threat to Raja, even as midfield pair of Austin Oladapo and Dare Ojo – two holding midfielders – failed to provide penetrative passes to the full-backs and wingers, which ultimately led to both Sunday Adetunji and Ibrahim Mustapha lacking service. On Wednesday, Coach Abdallah should exercise some flexibility and perhaps allow some free role for Stanley Dimgba through the middle because his versatility could unlock the hosts, while Freedom Omofoman will take up a wide position alongside Joseph Osadiaye. In this instance, Enyimba could have more goal chances because that is what they need now. Talking about goal-scoring, Enyimba were bereft of a forward with a killer instinct and this is why Captain Mfon Udoh must be recalled from his suspension. On a few times Raja’s defence was caught napping, but Adetunji failed to deal decisively with Dimgba’s crosses. Udoh’s experience at this time will be highly immeasurable in ensuring that the table is turned on Wednesday. Speaking to SUNDAY INDEPENDENT, Oladapo, the club’s midfielder, expressed confidence in their ability to do their best and possibly snatch the final ticket from their hosts come Wednesday, admitting though that it would not be an easy affair. “We are in a tight corner, no doubt about that, but we are not going to continue to dwell on the loss in Aba. This is the time to rescue the situation. This is football and anything can happen. We can beat them there and that is our prayer even though it is not going to be easy,” he said. Samson Siasia, former Nigerian international, urged Enyimba to be calm and play as a team if they hoped to possibly make it at the expense of Raja Casablanca. “If they (Raja) come here and won, Enyimba can as well do same in their home but must be calm, possess the game, play as a team then looks for free kicks close to 18 yard box; hopefully they can convert one or two of those chances and back with victory. They need to go to Morocco with a good game plan and enthusiasm,” he said.