CAF Confederation Cup
CAF Confederation Cup: Day of Reckoning for Rivers United
BY SAMMY WEJINYA
The CAF Confederation Cup enters its Match Day four as Nigeria’s Rivers United take on Uganda’s Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). With every team in Group A winning its home match, nothing less is expected from Rivers United.
It is a make or break time for Rivers United. The section is extremely tough-looking with all four teams in the group, FUS Rabat (Morocco), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA, Uganda), Club Africain (Tunisia) and Rivers United (Nigeria) peerless at home thus far.
This makes Tuesday’s game at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium Port Harcourt one that leaves little margin for error, for the Nigerian side especially, as any result other than an outright victory could mean curtains as far as their aspirations of reaching the quarter finals of the competition are concerned.
KCCA won the reverse fixture 2-1 at the Phillip Omondi Stadium (Lugogo), Kampala on June 3; a result that lifted them from bottom to second place on the log; such are the fine margins in this group!
Head coach of KCCA, Mike Hillary Mutebi acknowledges that things are evenly poised on a knife edge in the group and that goals difference could represent a tie-breaker eventually.
“We have not been effective so far as we should have won the (reverse fixture) 5-2. The result in Lugogo was not a true reflection of our dominance,” Mutebi told our official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
“The (issue) of goals difference is worrying so we have to try to outscore the opponent. In all our away games in the Confederation Cup, we have only failed to score against FUS Rabat and El-Masry; we always score away from home.
“Rivers United is a very good team but we (KCCA) are confident we can rub shoulders with them because we have tested the best,” he said.
Mutebi however frowned at what he called ‘time-wasting’ tactics employed by the Nigerian club in the first leg; sentiments echoed by his captain, Denis Okot Oola.
Okot however agreed with his coach that the ‘Pride of Rivers’ represents a solid proposition that could cause them more than a few problems on Tuesday.
“Rivers United have experienced players. (Bolaji Sakin) is huge and experienced and can outrun defenders. I expect them to play differently in Nigeria,” Okot said.
CAF Confederation Cup
Dreams FC dreams coming true? … secure goalless draw against Zamalek in Cairo
Ghana’s team in the CAF Confederation Cup, Dreams FC, is living up to their name. The continental debutants are indeed dreaming dreams. If this is a dream, please don’t wake them up. They have just upset one of the powerhouses in Africa.
The Egyptian giants Zamalek failed to make their dominance count as they were held to a goalless draw by Dreams FC in the first leg of their Confederation Cup semi-final in Cairo on Sunday.
The White Knights enjoyed the better of the chances in Cairo but lacked a cutting edge in the final third against their well-organised opponents.
Portuguese coach Jose Gomes will be concerned by his side’s profligacy ahead of next Sunday’s return in Kumasi, where an away goal for Dreams could prove pivotal.
Zamalek applied plenty of early pressure, with Shikabala, Mostafa Shalaby and Ahmed Hamdi all going close to breaking the deadlock before the midway point of the first half.
Dreams goalkeeper Solomon Agbasi had to be alert to keep out efforts from Shikabala and Travis Mutyaba as Zamalek’s wastefulness in front of goal continued.
The visitors started to gain a foothold and went close through John Antwi, whose powerful strike was well blocked by the impressive Hossam Abdelmaguid.
Shalaby was replaced by Benin international Samson Akinyoola at the break but Zamalek’s frustrations mounted, with the hosts struggling to carve out clear-cut openings.
Akinyoola dragged an effort wide before Shikabala forced a smart save from Agbasi as the offside flag repeatedly came to Dreams’ rescue.
There was still time for Ibrahima Ndiaye to rattle the crossbar late on, but ultimately Zamalek could not find a way through the stubborn Ghanaian rearguard.
Dreams will fancy their chances of reaching the final on away goals if they can shut out Zamalek again in Kumasi next weekend.
CAF Confederation Cup
Algeria’s USM may forfeit Confederation Cup duel to Morocco’s RS Berkane
The anticipated tense Confederation Cup first leg semi-final fixture of USM Alger and Morocco’s RS Berkane did not hold as scheduled on Sunday night following the confiscation of the Moroccan team’s jerseys and equipment by the Algerian aughorutues despite CAF’s spirited efforts to see the items released.
The Confederation has now issued a statement that the matter has been referred to the ‘competent bodies’. CAF apologized for any inconvenience caused to their sponsors, TV partners and the supporters.
It is most likely that the Algerian team would forfeit the match. The Algerians lately have turned the African football arena into political field such that the Moroccan team as defending champions of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) were denied entry to defend their title last year in Algeria.
Similarly, in the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup with Nigeria’s Rivers United, the Algerians frustrated the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) by confisticating the CAF equipment.
CAF issued the following statement over the incident early this month: “Due to circumstances beyond CAF’s control, there will be no Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology at the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup fixture USM Alger and Rivers United in Algeria today.
“For the last few days, CAF has been negotiating with Algerian Authorities to release the VAR equipment that has been kept by Authorities at the entry Port in Oran, Algeria since Wednesday morning.
“Regrettably, the VAR equipment was only released at 19h30 today making it impossible to drive the 400km distance between Oran and Algiers and make it on time for the match.”
CAF Confederation Cup
CAF compels Algeria to release Morocco’s RS Berkane equipment
Algeria’s USM Alger may get a technical knockout from the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final first leg match slated for Sunday if Algerian authorities continue their seizure of jerseys and equipment of Morocco’s RS Berkane.
The Moroccans arrived Algeria on Friday but had their equipment and jerseys seized on account that the attires are depicting a complete map of Morocco with the southern provinces.
This led to the Moroccan delegation getting stranded at the Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers, as they demanded the the return of their jerseys and sports equipment confiscated by Algerian security forces before entering Algerian territory.
CAF has now intervened and informed the Algerians thus: “We wish to inform you that the committee has decided that the jersey in question complies with CAF Statutes and regulations.
“Therefore, we hereby inform you that the club RS Berkane is authorized to use the jerseys during the mentioned match.
“In this regard, we request the Algerian Football Federation to take all necessary measures to facilitate the release of the equipment in question from customs as a matter of urgency in order to avoid disrupting the organizational aspects of the match. We count on your usual cooperation.”
The match, the first leg of the semi-finals of the Confederation Cup is scheduled for 5pm, on Sunday.
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