Tag: Cooreman

Akwa United coach, Maurice Cooreman has said his team will complete a double over Vita Club Mokanda when both sides face in the return leg of their CAFConfederation Cup preliminary round, second leg fixture in a fortnight.

The Promise Keepers won the first leg 1-0 in Brazzaville over the weekend and the tactician believes his men will get a win at home.

“It is very possible that we get a win at home because we will be playing in front of our fans. My players did a good job in the first leg and we are confident going into the second leg and I feel we can win again against them,” he said.

It is the Promise Keepers’ first ever outing in the continent, having won the Nigeria Federation’s Cup last year and they will progress to the second round if they don’t lose at home, which Cooreman said his men will work against any form of complacency.

“We still have to remain focused on our game because the second leg is equally important. We have to give better than we gave in the first leg and I believe we can,” he said.

Akwa United Coach,  Maurice Cooreman has said his players and not him deserve praise following the 1-0 win in their first leg away tie to Vita Club de Mokanda on Saturday in Congo.

Saturday’s victory was Akwa United’s debut win on the continent and the former Enyimba FC coach said the players showed doggedness and determination throughout the game, which effectively gave his side the advantage.

Returnee forward, Ubong Ekpai scored in the first half to seal a famous win and Cooreman insists his side will be good enough for the title if they put up such quality consistently.

Technical Adviser of Akwa United FC Uyo, Maurice Cooreman was a relieved man to see his wards claim maximum points against Nasarawa, but it was his team’s dogged display that impressed him more.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Cooreman said: “I said it on the bench that the team that scores the first goal would win the match. We are lucky that we scored in the last minute but for me as a coach, I am happy to see my players fighting for the ball, working very hard and everybody wanting to come into the team”.

The Belgian coach also stated that his team is getting more in good shape ahead of their first ever game in a CAF continental tournament next week. He believes that with two more difficult games against Warri Wolves (in midweek) and Enyimba (on the last day of competition) to come, his team will just be about ready to go.

“Yes we are getting closer to what we are expecting,” he said.

“You know we are also playing against Wolves on today and Enyimba on Friday. These games are good for our preparation and the kind of stadium and atmosphere we play in will also help us when we go to Congo next week,” added the former Enyimba, Gombe United and most recently Ikorodu United coach.

“Yeah, we could have done better with our chances. But that is what we have been working on in training everyday and will continue to do so. But for the moment, you saw two new players today (Zinte Udeh and James Audu) not really fit but I saw what they can do. I hope we will be ready for the continent,” Cooreman said.

Matchday 2 of the Super Four Challenge in Uyo today will see hosts Akwa United tackling Warri Wolves, the only team that beat them in Kaduna while Nasarawa United will do battle with Enyimba.

Head coach of Akwa United, Maurice Cooreman was delighted with his side’s 1-0 win over Enyimba FC on Friday.
Akwa United narrowly lost their first match in the ongoing Kaduna leg of the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League Super Four to Warri Wolves but bounced back brilliantly with a deserved one-nil victory over Enyimba in their second game on Friday.
However, the Belgian-born gaffer was sent to the stands for dissent.
Cooreman praised the character of his side and believes that they have turned a corner in their Super Four campaign.
“We have been building for this. We have had a good game and the momentum is building. Our team showed character, they showed tenacity – and I’m just happy that the fighting spirit is back,” he told futbalgalore.com.
“We made it difficult for Enyimba. I told the team that if we stop them from playing, we have a chance of winning the match.”

Newly employed head coach of Akwa United Maurice Cooreman insists the target for the club in the CAF Confederation Cup is to win the title.

This revelation comes as a big surprise especially with the club making its debut in the competition.

The Promise Keepers got the ticket after they clinched the 2015 Federation Cup but struggled for form in the 2014/15 league season. Playing in Africa will provide the team massive joy next season according to Cooreman.

“The target is to win the trophy,” Cooreman said.

Akwa United will take on V. Club Mokanda of Congo in the preliminary round.

The matches to be played on home and away basis will be held between February 12 and 28.

In the next round of the Confederation Cup, the winners of the match between Akwa and V. Club will face the winners of the clash involving Police of Rwanda and Atlabara from South Sudan.