The Sun News On-line

When the going gets tough, only the tough gets going, as Enyimba Football Club of Aba gird their loins to cross the biggest hurdle in the CAF Champions League against Al Ahly of Egypt.

It is a must-win duel for the People’s Elephant if they hope to progress to the final of the competition, which they won back-to-back in 2003 and 2004.

The Egyptians have been tipped to win the tournament due to their fine run so far, but as it is always said, ‘football is no mathematics’ and a major upset might be in the offing for the Aba Millionaires, who are expected to raise their game to cut their visitors to size.

It is going to be a battle for supremacy starting from the players on the pitch to the technical benches from where the coaches of both sides would bring their experiences to bare.

Coach Maurice Cooreman of Enyimba is aware of the task ahead and has said his wards would be equal to the task when they file out against Al Ahly on Sunday. Adding that the record books would be re-written in Enyimba’s favour by bookmakers after the match, which he dubbed ‘the clash of the titans.’
Though Cooreman respects Al Ahly’s records in the competition, he is confident that they will fall in Aba and as well tumble in Egypt in a fortnight when they meet for the decisive leg.
"I am not afraid of the records and credentials of Al Ahly, because they belong to the past and we will put them in their rightful place on Sunday," Cooreman began.

"They have had a smooth run in the qualifying rounds, but they cannot replicate those performances against us, because we are determined to raise our game to humiliate them.
"Bookmakers are saying that the Egyptian team are dangerous, but if I may ask, which club would not be dangerous when they come to this stage of the competition? The match is for 90 minutes and at the end of it, I will say more because I don’t believe in making noise, I only believe in proving myself in the field of play."

He continued: "History will not forgive us if we allow this opportunity to write our names in gold slip off from our hands. I have told the players to be careful of the tricks of Al Ahly, who can deceive any referee to believe that they have been hurt at any slightest contact."
The match between Nigeria’s Enyimba and Egypt’s Al Ahly could as well determine the winners of this year’s MTN CAF Champions League ahead of the final, even though they are meeting at the semi-final stage of the tournament.

The two clubs, who between them, have won four of the last five MTN CAF Champions League titles, were overwhelming favourites to reach the final at the start of the group phase in June, but the Nigerians spoilt the script by finishing runners-up in Group B.
It would be their first meeting since they shared the same group in 2005 when Enyimba were defending champions and Al Ahly beginning their quest to retain their reputation in the Africa’s top club competition. The Egyptians won both in Aba and at home to end Enyimba’s reign and went ahead to win their first of back-to-back titles.
Al Ahly’s unbeaten run will make them marginal favourites for Sunday’s match, although it is likely the Egyptians would be more than satisfied with an away draw, given the fact that they will host the second leg in Cairo later in October.

Al Ahly had a potential bruising league match with Ismaili set for last Monday postponed, and they are expected to arrive Nigeria on a private jet to avoid too much discomfort for the players.
Meanwhile, Enyimba’s confidence received a morale boost with their wins in the domestic league over Akwa United and Ocean Boys.

Cooreman is, however, worried about the poor performance of his team away from home. Enyimba failed to pick even a single point from all of their away matches in the group stages, which many followers of the club are saying is not good news for a club that is looking to take home Africa’s most coveted club football trophy for a third time.

With the Nigerian club paired against the Egyptian giants, the Belgian-born tactician confessed that the poor away results of his team had remained a source of worry to him, which had continued to cause him sleepless nights, even though he previously boasted that there’s nothing to fear about Al Ahly.
Enyimba lost 2–3 to Al Hilal of Sudan, 0–3 to T.P. Mazembe of Congo DR and fall by the same margin to Cameroon's Cotton Sport during the group stage.