By Kayode John
Enyimba head coach Yemi Olanrewaju has admitted his side were lucky to secure a ticket to the group phase of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Enyimba defeated Etoile Filante 3-2 on penalties at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Sunday, after neither side could break the deadlock in two legs.
The first leg in Mali also ended 0-0 and goalkeeper Nathaniel Asibe was Enyimba’s hero during the shoot-out as he won the man-of-the-match award for his effort.
Olanrewaju said his team must improve going into the next stage of the competition.
“It was an unfortunate thing when we went to Mali and it could have been a one-legged game. I was impressed with the support we got from Akwa Ibom, it was massive, something encouraging,” Olanrewaju said in his post-match interview.
“But I wish we had ended the game before the penalties, considering the kind of chances that we missed, we must work on this. We were lucky to escape, we can’t go to the group stage missing chances like this, if we need to progress to the quarter-finals.”
“Again, we didn’t play the way we normally play. There was a bit of anxiety from the lads. They were in a hurry for everything, they were not calm in the last third.
“Eventually, we have to give it to this young goalkeeper and everybody. We were lucky to have escaped and get to the group stage.”
Enyimba will know their group opponents next month. The People’s Elephant are the only Nigerian team remaining on the continent this season.
Rangers were dumped out of the CAF Champions League on Sunday by Sagrada Esperanca 3-2 on aggregate.
