‘The journey has just started’ – Osho confident ahead of Pyramids test
Enyimba’s path to glory was revealed on Friday afternoon after the draw for the 2020-21 Total CAF Confederation Cup was conducted at CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The two-time African champions were drawn against Egyptian side FC Pyramids who were last edition’s runners up.
Recall the Elephants in one of the competition’s most remarkable moments booked a place in the last eight with just few seconds reamining on the clock when midfielder Cyril Olisema pounced on Anayo Iwuala’s square pass to lash home Enyimba’s winner against Orlando Pirates in the final group game. The win catapulted the team to the top of the log in Group A.
Speaking to the team’s media after the draw, Fatai Osho stated that the team will fancy their chances of qualifiying to the next round.
“As at the time we qualified we knew the team could only be drawn against Pyramids, Coton Sports, and Sfaxien. We got Pyramids a finalists in the last edition, they are not pushovers in African football, they have what it takes to compete very well. But we have our target too and no matter the opposition we come up against we want to fancy our chances to qualify. A lot of commendation has to go to the players, I spoke to them this morning that the journey has just started, we are in the quarterfinal and Enyimba is a household name in Africa, I think they will be competing so well to bring honour to the country.”
The People’s Elephant are no stranger to North Africa in the competition this season having entertained ES Setif and Ahly Benghazi in the previous round.
Fatai Osho’s men exited at the quarterfinals of the competition last season and will seek to go a few steps further this term.
No Nigerian side has won the Confederation Cup and Enyimba, on the other hand, will be chasing their maiden title in the competition.
Pyramids FC will host the first leg of the tie on May 16, and the reverse fixture will be played a week later in Aba.