Enyimba retains Champions League crown, beats Etoile
IT was sweet victory once again for Nigeria's Enyimba Football Club, Aba, as it won, for the second consecutive time, the MTN/CAF Champions League.
For the back-to-back victory, the Nigerian heroes beat hard-fighting Etoile of Tunisia, on 5-3 aggregate after the regulation time result of 2-1. The visitors had posted a similar goal margin in the first leg.
Substitute goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba, again proved to be the match hero as he stopped the spot kick of Sabeur Frej to give Enyimba a place in African soccer history.
TP Mazembe were the other club who have won `the continent's biggest club soccer prize when they won the competition in 1967 and 1968.
The Nigerian team took the lead after 43 minutes when goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama sent his opposite number in Etoile and fellow Nigerian, Austin Ejide, the wrong way from the penalty spot after Benin referee Coffi Codjia adjudged Mohamed Miladi to have handled a goal-bound shot inside box.
Muri Ogunbiyi doubled Enyimba's advantage 10 minutes later when he smashed home with the left foot from inside the box
After the Tunisians had failed to clear an Enyimba attack Etoile pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute when a header by Kais Zouaghi off a Zoubaier Baya free kick after substitute Ugochukwu Obiakor was fouled, beat a badly positioned Enyeama.
The goal gave the Tunisians a new belief, leading to end-to-end action as both teams now tied on 3-3 aggregate went in search of the deciding goal.
Enyeama cuddled a shot from Obiakor while at the other end of the pitch, Joetex Frimpong for Enyimba missed target with a header from inside the box soon after.
Playing in front of a home crowd, Enyimba went into attack from the first blast of the whistle forcing Etoile to stay back in their defence.
But it soon developed into a more evenly balanced contest as the Tunisians came out of their defensive shell and launched a few attacks of their own.
The final failed to come alive even though the hosts enjoyed more of the ball possession and it was not until the 24th minute that Enyimba forward Tyavkase fired the first shot on target which missed narrowly.
And on the half hour Mejdi Etttraoui forced a comfortable save from Enyeama with a low drive from outside the box.
But overall Enyimba took the game to their opponents even though they lacked creativity in the middle in the absence of the suspended Onyekachi Okonkwo and looked disjointed going forward. Etoile were solid at the back and did well to keep the goal-hungry Nigerians at bay with a well rehearsed
offside tactic.
In first half stoppage time, skipper Zoubaier Baya was brought down on top of the box but Enyeama was at his best as he tipped over a curling free kick taken by the impressive Imed Mhadbi for a corner.
The champions continued to attack in the second period and were rewarded on 53 minutes when the enterprising midfielder Ogunbiyi fired home from inside the 18 yard.
Enyimba came very close to increasing the tally soon after but left fullback Ajibade Omolade failed to reach a powerful low drive taken from the right side of Etoile's goal area. The miss would prove very crucial soon after as Etoile grabbed the all-important away goal to take the game into penalty kicks.
