CAF Champions League Heartland stake pride as Pillars seek revenge
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- Category: Sports
- Written by David Ngobua
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Hostilities in this year’s CAF Champions league continue this weekend with Nigeria’s representatives, Kano Pillars and Heartland of Owerri engaging their opponents in crucial matches which would determine whether or not they will advance into the semi-final stage of the lucrative competition.
While dethroned Nigerian Champions, Kano Pillars will be at home to seek revenge against visiting Al Hilal of Sudan who inflicted the first defeat in the competition on them, Heartland will be away to Etoile Du Sahel in Tunisia to prove that the 3-0 defeat they handed the Tunisian side a fortnight ago in Nigeria is not a fluke.
Meanwhile, the victory of Heartland in the just concluded Super Four Championship in Ilorin is indeed a morale booster as they take on Etoile Du Sahel today in Sousse. This was confirmed by Coach, Kelechi Emetole in a chat with Trustsports. The coach while reacting to the Super Four victory said it had come timely because it would motivate the players to do battle against their opponents.
He said the task before the club is enormous but the new spirit in the team’s camp cannot be quantified.
According to him, Heartland will not over respect their opponents because it is only the full ninety minutes that would determine the outcome of the match. Emetole expressed confidence that Heartland FC will use that match to put itself in a comfortable position on the table for a possible ticket to the semi finals.
“We are battle ready. The players themselves know what a good result in today’s match will do for the team and are prepared to give their all”.
Emetole called on the teeming fans of the club to continue to pray for the team’s success in today’s match.
A look at group B shows that Heartland FC and TP Mazembe are tied on six points but the Congolese club side is on top of the group due to its superior goal difference.
If at the end of today’s match, Etoile Du Sahel records home win over visiting Heartland, the Sousse based club will make a big leap but the other match between Monomotapa of Zimbabwe and TP Mazembe will determine the changes in the group.
Pillars who are in search of revenge at home may not have so much obstacles to surmount because they are going to enjoy enormous home advantage but the same cannot be said of Heartland FC of Owerri who will have their hands full against the revenge seeking Etoile Du Sahel.
The 2007 African Champions will like to have their pound of flesh against the Naze millionaires and also brighten their chances of progressing to the semis. Even as the home team has what it takes to grab victory at home, they will not like to take anything for granted because their opponents are no push over.
Kano Pillars who failed to realize their request for a shift in the time of the match have put that behind them and are looking forward to tomorrow’s crucial encounter. Speaking to Trustsports, Chairman of Kano Pillars continental campaign committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima said everything has been done to motivate the players to beat Al Hilal. He said the players themselves are eager to avenge the 2-0 defeat they suffered in the hands of the Sudanese giants and are not leaving anything to chance.
“The players know the importance of winning today’s match. Therefore, they are motivating themselves and the state government too has done everything to build on the self motivation”.
Galadima expressed confidence that the match will be tough but the result of the match will favour Kano Pillars.
“ Everything is in place. There will be adequate security during the match. The atmosphere is just appropriate for the two clubs to do battle”
Sudanese giants Al Hilal are on top of group A with seven points having won two and drawn one out of three matches played. Both Kano Pillars and Zesco United have identical statistics and are therefore in the second place on the table with four points. Victory for Pillars will take them to the top of the group again.
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CAF Champions League Heartland stake pride as Pillars seek revenge
Category: Sports Written by David Ngobua Hits: 622
Hostilities in this year’s CAF Champions league continue this weekend with Nigeria’s representatives, Kano Pillars and Heartland of Owerri engaging their opponents in crucial matches which would determine whether or not they will advance into the semi-final stage of the lucrative competition.
While dethroned Nigerian Champions, Kano Pillars will be at home to seek revenge against visiting Al Hilal of Sudan who inflicted the first defeat in the competition on them, Heartland will be away to Etoile Du Sahel in Tunisia to prove that the 3-0 defeat they handed the Tunisian side a fortnight ago in Nigeria is not a fluke.
Meanwhile, the victory of Heartland in the just concluded Super Four Championship in Ilorin is indeed a morale booster as they take on Etoile Du Sahel today in Sousse. This was confirmed by Coach, Kelechi Emetole in a chat with Trustsports. The coach while reacting to the Super Four victory said it had come timely because it would motivate the players to do battle against their opponents.
He said the task before the club is enormous but the new spirit in the team’s camp cannot be quantified.
According to him, Heartland will not over respect their opponents because it is only the full ninety minutes that would determine the outcome of the match. Emetole expressed confidence that Heartland FC will use that match to put itself in a comfortable position on the table for a possible ticket to the semi finals.
“We are battle ready. The players themselves know what a good result in today’s match will do for the team and are prepared to give their all”.
Emetole called on the teeming fans of the club to continue to pray for the team’s success in today’s match.
A look at group B shows that Heartland FC and TP Mazembe are tied on six points but the Congolese club side is on top of the group due to its superior goal difference.
If at the end of today’s match, Etoile Du Sahel records home win over visiting Heartland, the Sousse based club will make a big leap but the other match between Monomotapa of Zimbabwe and TP Mazembe will determine the changes in the group.
Pillars who are in search of revenge at home may not have so much obstacles to surmount because they are going to enjoy enormous home advantage but the same cannot be said of Heartland FC of Owerri who will have their hands full against the revenge seeking Etoile Du Sahel.
The 2007 African Champions will like to have their pound of flesh against the Naze millionaires and also brighten their chances of progressing to the semis. Even as the home team has what it takes to grab victory at home, they will not like to take anything for granted because their opponents are no push over.
Kano Pillars who failed to realize their request for a shift in the time of the match have put that behind them and are looking forward to tomorrow’s crucial encounter. Speaking to Trustsports, Chairman of Kano Pillars continental campaign committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima said everything has been done to motivate the players to beat Al Hilal. He said the players themselves are eager to avenge the 2-0 defeat they suffered in the hands of the Sudanese giants and are not leaving anything to chance.
“The players know the importance of winning today’s match. Therefore, they are motivating themselves and the state government too has done everything to build on the self motivation”.
Galadima expressed confidence that the match will be tough but the result of the match will favour Kano Pillars.
“ Everything is in place. There will be adequate security during the match. The atmosphere is just appropriate for the two clubs to do battle”
Sudanese giants Al Hilal are on top of group A with seven points having won two and drawn one out of three matches played. Both Kano Pillars and Zesco United have identical statistics and are therefore in the second place on the table with four points. Victory for Pillars will take them to the top of the group again.