Heartland seeks redemption as Pillars aim to consolidate
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- Category: Sports
- Written by David Ngobua
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Nigeria’s representatives in this year’s money spinning CAF Champions League will go back to the battle front this weekend as they seek to achieve results that would ensure that they remain in contention for the coveted trophy at stake.
Heartland will take on giant killers, Monomotapa of Zimbabwe on Sunday at the Dan Anyiam stadium Owerri while surprise team of this year CAF Champions league, Kano Pillars will trade tackles with Sudanese champions El Merreikh at the Sani Abacha stadium.
Soccer pundits have since described the two encounters as crucial duels for Nigerian representatives because they cannot afford to allow any slip. While Heartland aims to redeem their chance of progressing in the lucrative competition, Kano Pillars who recorded a vital 1-1 away draw against Zesco United of Zambia will strive to consolidate on their leadership of group A which is highly rated.
Heartland whose campaign in the championship has been built on shaky foundation as a result of financial problems opened their group stages with an away 2-0 defeat in the hands of a more experienced opponent TP Mazembe of Congo DR, a result which did not come to many as a surprise. The Nigerian club went into that encounter totally depleted. For different reasons, most of Heartland’s key players missed the important away match thereby making it relatively easy for their host to notch the three vital points.
On Sunday, the Naze Millionaires who are cash strapped will be up against a better motivated opponent in Monomatopa of Zimbabwe who handed 2007 CAF Champions winners, Etoile Du Sahel a 2-0 defeat in their opening match of the group stages. Still basking in the euphoria of that giant stride, the Zimbabweans would storm Owerri to stun heartland in their backyard.
Obviously aware of the dire consequences of a defeat, Heartland have beefed up their team with at least three players including junior international King Osanga. The arrival of the new players has served as the much needed impetuous with the captain of the team saying “We failed to hold our own in the second half against TP Mazembe after holding them to a 0-0 draw in the first half. We know we have to win well on Sunday to ensure we are back in contention for a place in the last four of the competition”.
Speaking in the same vein, Emeka Igwawu, Team Manager of Heartland insists they are poised for their first win of the campaign after a 0-2 loss to TP Mazembe of DR Congo on the opening day. “We are poised for victory and have stepped our preparations in that regard. We expect some form of pressure from the home crowd, but the players know what’s at stake and are determined to go all out.
Not perturbed by the home team’s optimism, Manager of the visiting Monomotapa, Clayton Munemo has said “I don’t know much about Heartland but from the few shots I have seen of them on television they are a good side. They seem to play a physical and passing game but I think we can match them, we just have to ensure that we are quicker”.
As Heartland FC gets sets to stop Monomatopa’s fairly run in the competition tomorrow, today at the Sani Abacha stadium, Kano Pillars, the better of the two Nigerian representatives in the competition will be seeking consolidatory victory over visiting El Merreikh of Sudan. Although Pillars have not hidden their intention to win the CAF Champions league by virtue of their shock elimination of six times winners of the competition, Al Ahly of Egypt, today’s match will not be an easy one for them. El Merreikh have in their fold mercenaries who know much about Pillars because they are Nigerians. The Sudanese champions will bank on the experience and knowledge of Kelechi Osunwa, Endurance Idahor, and Stephen Worgu cause a major upset.
Although their opponents are well motivated for today’s encounter, if the records so far posited by Pillars are anything to go by, they should not have serious problem pocketing the maximum points to remain on top of their group.
Pillars have a quiet home record this term and have been impregnable having let in a goal in three matches from the previous round. Moreover, the fact that Pillars will be taking on their opponents at the Sani Abacha stadium which is their home ground will in itself be a morale booster for them because as the saying goes, there is no place like home. Before now, Pillars have been playing their continental matches at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium Kaduna due to the renovation work on the Sani Abacha stadium for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
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Heartland seeks redemption as Pillars aim to consolidate
Category: Sports Written by David Ngobua Hits: 582
Nigeria’s representatives in this year’s money spinning CAF Champions League will go back to the battle front this weekend as they seek to achieve results that would ensure that they remain in contention for the coveted trophy at stake.
Heartland will take on giant killers, Monomotapa of Zimbabwe on Sunday at the Dan Anyiam stadium Owerri while surprise team of this year CAF Champions league, Kano Pillars will trade tackles with Sudanese champions El Merreikh at the Sani Abacha stadium.
Soccer pundits have since described the two encounters as crucial duels for Nigerian representatives because they cannot afford to allow any slip. While Heartland aims to redeem their chance of progressing in the lucrative competition, Kano Pillars who recorded a vital 1-1 away draw against Zesco United of Zambia will strive to consolidate on their leadership of group A which is highly rated.
Heartland whose campaign in the championship has been built on shaky foundation as a result of financial problems opened their group stages with an away 2-0 defeat in the hands of a more experienced opponent TP Mazembe of Congo DR, a result which did not come to many as a surprise. The Nigerian club went into that encounter totally depleted. For different reasons, most of Heartland’s key players missed the important away match thereby making it relatively easy for their host to notch the three vital points.
On Sunday, the Naze Millionaires who are cash strapped will be up against a better motivated opponent in Monomatopa of Zimbabwe who handed 2007 CAF Champions winners, Etoile Du Sahel a 2-0 defeat in their opening match of the group stages. Still basking in the euphoria of that giant stride, the Zimbabweans would storm Owerri to stun heartland in their backyard.
Obviously aware of the dire consequences of a defeat, Heartland have beefed up their team with at least three players including junior international King Osanga. The arrival of the new players has served as the much needed impetuous with the captain of the team saying “We failed to hold our own in the second half against TP Mazembe after holding them to a 0-0 draw in the first half. We know we have to win well on Sunday to ensure we are back in contention for a place in the last four of the competition”.
Speaking in the same vein, Emeka Igwawu, Team Manager of Heartland insists they are poised for their first win of the campaign after a 0-2 loss to TP Mazembe of DR Congo on the opening day. “We are poised for victory and have stepped our preparations in that regard. We expect some form of pressure from the home crowd, but the players know what’s at stake and are determined to go all out.
Not perturbed by the home team’s optimism, Manager of the visiting Monomotapa, Clayton Munemo has said “I don’t know much about Heartland but from the few shots I have seen of them on television they are a good side. They seem to play a physical and passing game but I think we can match them, we just have to ensure that we are quicker”.
As Heartland FC gets sets to stop Monomatopa’s fairly run in the competition tomorrow, today at the Sani Abacha stadium, Kano Pillars, the better of the two Nigerian representatives in the competition will be seeking consolidatory victory over visiting El Merreikh of Sudan. Although Pillars have not hidden their intention to win the CAF Champions league by virtue of their shock elimination of six times winners of the competition, Al Ahly of Egypt, today’s match will not be an easy one for them. El Merreikh have in their fold mercenaries who know much about Pillars because they are Nigerians. The Sudanese champions will bank on the experience and knowledge of Kelechi Osunwa, Endurance Idahor, and Stephen Worgu cause a major upset.
Although their opponents are well motivated for today’s encounter, if the records so far posited by Pillars are anything to go by, they should not have serious problem pocketing the maximum points to remain on top of their group.
Pillars have a quiet home record this term and have been impregnable having let in a goal in three matches from the previous round. Moreover, the fact that Pillars will be taking on their opponents at the Sani Abacha stadium which is their home ground will in itself be a morale booster for them because as the saying goes, there is no place like home. Before now, Pillars have been playing their continental matches at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium Kaduna due to the renovation work on the Sani Abacha stadium for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.