Rivers United forward Godbless Asamoah says he is unrelenting in his desire to rank among the best finishers in the Nigeria Professional league. The Ghanaian import who just concluded pre-season shape up with his teammates in Spain ahead of the new season said as a striker he is always thinking of how to improve for the better noting that winning is about scoring goals and he is determined to seize every opportunity for the good of the team.
“”Every striker wants to score goals because that is what winning is all about, I think about improvement all the time more so when there is need for us to make an impact in the continent,”” he said
The Garden city club according to him will have double challenge in the new season, that of re-enacting the good performance recorded last season and making a mark in the continent.
Rivers United, who will be competing in the CAF Champions league alongside league winners Rangers International, rounded off their pre-season tour of Spain with a 3-3 tie against Spanish side CD Roda. Die-hard fans of the Port Harcourt based side who monitored the friendly matches played in Spain however said the Stanley Eguma tutored side has to work seriously on defense before hitting the continent. For the team to have shot into the lead three times in a match and conceded almost immediately according to them is an indication that the defense is shaky and needs beefing up.
Tag: CAF Champions League
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Asamoah sets target ahead Champions League
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CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Aaron Samuel backs Rivers Utd
Nigeria international, Aaron Samuel has backed Rivers United football club to succeed in next year’s Caf champions’ league.
The Pride of Rivers finished the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League season behind Enugu Rangers with just three points and the Super Eagles forward believes the Port Harcourt based side have all it takes to do well on the continent.
“Merging two clubs (Sharks and Dolphins) and making them one (Rivers United) has made them stronger. They have good players like Markson Ojobo and Bernard Ovoke and I know new players will join too which will make them even stronger,” he told Rivers United Media.
“They also have an excellent coach in Stanley Eguma; the man who first taught me what it means to be a professional footballer so I am confident Rivers United can surprise many by doing very well the CAF Champions League next season.”
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CAF Champions League:We’ll fight to the finish-Amakapabo
Rangers coach Imama Amakapabo, has declared his team’s readiness to put all the arsenal in the armory into the CAF Champions league when the battle for supremacy in the continental showpiece begins.
An elated Amakapabo, who led the flying Antelopes to break a 32-year-jinx to claim the Nigerian premier league, said though the team will be beefed up, it would not mean a complete overhaul as he believes in the ability and determination of his squad . Although a lot is being expected from the coal city boys according to him, the team will not allow itself to be weighed down by pressure.
“There is no doubt that a lot is being expected from the team. I am optimistic we will not disappoint. Certainly we need to bring in a few players but I tell you I am not building a team, I already have one. I happen to be one coach that kept my 35 players intact in the course of the season so we are equal to the task, he enthused
The former goalkeeper who recently sealed a fresh contract with Rangers management hinted that the decision on the number of fresh players to come on board will be reached before the end of November with preseason camping expected to begin in Benin on November 5
Rangers finished top of the league with 63 points in 36 matches to clinch the title, the 7th time they will be lifting the cup after previously emerging champs in 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982 and 1984.
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Caf Champions League top scorer award: Enyimba’s Mfon Udoh delighted
Mfon Udoh is delighted to wrap up the 2015/16 season with the CAF champions league highest goal scorer award.
The 24-year old scored nine goals for Enyimba despite crashing out of the group stage.
“It’s a mixed-feeling for me anyway, the team in general did not play to expectation, we failed to do what people expected of us, but at the same time, I was able to wrap it up with the highest goal scorer in the champions league. I didn’t do that alone but with the help of my other colleagues, which shows we all still did something good, without team work, it would have happened,” Udoh told Goal.
“Though it was a bad season for us, we have accepted that and believe that in the coming season we will do better.
“Actually, I wouldn’t want to say anything concerning that at the moment, but I’m also still thinking on the next step to take, so nothing for now. So many things went wrong, played so many matches away from home, playing to many competitions at the same time, and I don’t think the team also blended well too.
“We didn’t play well to be frank, we didn’t do our utmost best and that is why we were unable to do well, so we blame ourselves for that. Everybody has his own tactics, as a coach you have your own tactics and your own problem. Aigbogun’s tactics did not work for Enyimba this season, so I can blame that on us all.”
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Rivers Utd must step up for CAF Champions League-Eguma
Rivers United finished second in the just concluded Nigeria Professional Football League season and will represent the country in the CAF Champions League next season.
“First we have to thank God for seeing us through the season. You know it has been a hectic one. We are glad to finish the season on a high but is necessary that we take some time off,” Eguma told Goal.
“We shall also take out time to have an overview of our activities this past season. It’s important to do an appraisal of how we have performed in the 2015/16 season.
“We are playing in the CAF Champions League next season so we have to improve. The technical team and the management will meet to map out a way forward. But for now I think we do need a deserved rest while we hope to resume quick to plan ahead,”he said.a
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CAF Champions League: Enyimba stop players from La Liga tests
Enyimba want a full team for a must-win CAF Champions League group game against Zamalek on August 14 in Cairo and so have asked that their players be left out of friendlies against La Liga clubs in Spain about the same time next month.
There are five Enyimba players in the NPFL All-Stars – skipper Chinedu Udoji, goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai, Joseph Osadiaye, Dare Ojo and Ezekiel Bassey.
An official of the All-Stars told AfricanFootball.com: “Enyimba want their players to be excused from the La Liga friendlies because they believe with a full-strength team they could win in Zamalek and improve their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Champions League.
“We just have to wait and see how things play out now.”
Enyimba are bottom of Champions League Group B after they lost their first two matches at home to Zamalek and then away at Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.
However, they believe they can get their campaign back on track with a win in Egypt on August 14 especially after Sundowns won there last week.
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CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Anyansi calls for fans’ support
•Abia Government throws gates open
•Provides 10 buses at Aba Stadium for fans
Enyimba Football Club of Aba chairman Felix Anyansi Agwu has called on football loving Nigerians to rally round the team as they play against Five time African Champions Zamalek Football club of Egypt in the Match Day One of the CAF Champions League today in Port Harcourt.
Anyansi in an interview with SportingLife said the players are fully prepared for today’s battle but that fans must play their part by ceaselessly supporting their darling team in Port Harcourt from the beginning till the end of the match.
He however, revealed that 10 buses will be available at the Enyimba Stadium, Aba this morning to convey fans of the club to the Adokiye Amesiamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt to cheer them to victory, and that the gates of the Adokiye Amesiamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt has been thrown open for the match to ensure that Enyimba gets adequate support.
Anyansi said he believed his boys had done their homework with the way and manner they were responding to training and that they must make the build up to the encounter count on match day.
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C/League: Enyimba paired with Zamalek, Setif
Enyimba will face Zamalek in the group stages of the CAF Champions League having been drawn together in Group B on Tuesday.
The People’s Elephants will also face ES Setif and Mamelodi Sundowns as the club looks to plot a way through to the knockout stages of the money spinning competition, Goal reports.
Meanwhile, eight-time champions Al Ahly will confront Asec Mimosas, Zesco United and Wydad Casablanca in Group A .
Enyimba hosts the Egyptians in the first game of the competition on June 17.
The pairings:
Group A: Zesco (Zambia), Al Ahly (Egypt), Asec Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
Group B: Enyimba (Nigeria), Zamalek (Egypt), ES Setif (Algeria), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
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CAF Champions League: Chima Akas cleared for Enyimba
CHAN Eagles skipper Chima Akas has been cleared by the League Management Company (LMC) to feature for Nigeria champions Enyimba in both the league and CAF Champions League.
AfricanFootball.com specially gathered that the international defender’s transfer to Akwa United has been cancelled.
“Akas will now play for Enyimba,” simply disclosed Akas UK-based agent Femi Olaniran.
This decision followed a decision involving the player, his representatives, LMC officials as well as officials of Shooting Stars and Enyimba in Abuja on Tuesday.
Last season, the much-sought after leftback featured for Sharks and in the off-season he was linked with Sunshine Stars with Akwa United later announcing his acquisition.
He has already been registered for this year’s Champions League.
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Ugandan Vipers shock Enyimba in Kampala
Uganda champions, Vipers SC, on Friday defeated Enyimba of Nigeria 1-0 in a CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg match played in Kampala.
The Ugandans, who were without star striker, Farouk Miya who has moved to Belgian club Standard Liege, netted the match winner in the second half after a goalless first 45 minutes, africanFootball.com reports.
The return leg match will be played in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on February 28.