ENYIMBA Football Club of Aba yesterday, at the Abuja
National Stadium, made all Nigerians proud by retaining the CAF Champions
League trophy they won last year.
In a pulsating and high tempo match, they settled matters
by beating Etoile Sahel of Tunisia 5-3 on penalty shoot-outs after scores
stood at 2-1 after 96 minutes (aggregate 3-3).
Etoile won the first leg match 2-1 a week ago.
Below is the kick by kick account of how the match was
won on penalties and the minute by minute report of the 96 minutes.
Enyimba 1-0 Etoile Sahel: Jerome Ezoba scores the
first penalty.
Enyimba 1-1 Etoile Sahel: Mohamed Miladi hits
straight back for Etoile.
Enyimba 2-1 Etoile Sahel: Musa Aliyu puts Enyimba
back in front.
Enyimba 2-1 Etoile Sahel: Hakim Bargui's shot is
saved; Enyimba are in front.
Enyimba 3-1 Etoile Sahel: Joetex Frimpong puts
Enyimba further ahead.
Enyimba 3-2 Etoile Sahel: Kandia Traore keeps his
nerve to strike back for the Tunisians.
Enyimba 4-2 Etoile Sahel: Damian Udeh puts Enyimba
within a kick of being Champions.
Enyimba 4-3 Etoile Sahel: Zoubeir Baya ensures
Enyimba will have to kick again.
Enyimba 5-3 Etoile Sahel: Obinna Nwaneri makes no
mistake - and Enyimba win the Champions League.
1 min: Enyimba kick off in Abuja - the rearranged
venue after the tie was switched from Aba amidst security concerns.
7 mins: Etoile Sahel goalkeeper Austin Ejide makes
his first save, as he pucks a left-wing cross out of the air under pressure
from Enyimba striker Ndidi Anumnu.
9 mins: A great through pass splits the Etoile
defence, but Mouri Ogunbiyi is just offside as Enyimba seek to mount early
pressure.
14 mins: A wild, speculative effort from Zoubeir Baya
goes well wide after a quick counter-attack set up by the Etoile Sahel
captain, and also involving Kandia Traore.
18 mins: Emeka Nwanna continues to storm up the
left wing, but his cross for Ogunbiyi is far too strong - and another
opportunity goes a begging for the Nigerian hosts.
20 mins: The first corner for Enyimba, won by David
Tyavkase - and is hit tantalizingly to the far post, but as Etoile struggle
to clear there is no-one on hand for Enyimba to snap up the loose ball.
39 mins: Enyimba's Emeka Nwanna finally finds the
back of the net - but was in an offside position yet again, and the crowd
are disappointed.
40 mins: Penalty to Enyimba for a handball, after
Tunisian defender Mohamed Miladi seemingly handles as he blocks a shot at
goal.
43 mins: GOAL Enyimba 1-0 Etoile (Agg: 2-2) Enyimba
goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama takes the penalty - and send Ejide the wrong way.
Enyimba now have the advantage as they have an away goal in the bank.
45 mins +4: Baya is brought down on the edge of
Enyimba's area, directly in front of goal - and Enyeama tips over a fine
curling kick from Mhadhebi.
45 mins +5: Half Time: Enyimba 1-0 Etoile Sahel
(Agg:2-2)
47 mins: Zouaghi is cautioned for a tackle on Nwanna,
the second booking for the Tunisians.
53 mins: GOAL Enyimba 2-0 Etoile (Agg: 3-2) Ogunbiyi
steers home with left footed shot from close range, as Etoile Sahel fail to
clear a Nigerian attack. The swift shot from the Benin international leaves
Ejide rooted to the ground as it crashes into the back of the net.
60 mins: Another change for Etoile enforced by
injury, as the limping Ettraoui goes off and Hakim Bargui comes on in his
place.
63 mins: GOAL Enyimba 2-1 Etoile (Agg: 3-3) Etoile
are right back in contention as defender Zouaghi heads home from Baya's free
kick, won when Obiakor tried to dribble his way trough the Enyimba defence -
and was lucky to get a decision after Nwaneri allegedly tripped him.
64 mins: The Ghanaian import Jopetex Frimpong comes
on as the first change for Enyimba.
80 mins: Enyimba bring on striker Ekene Ezenwa,
dropped after the first leg, for Nwanna as the game goes into the last 10
minutes.
83 mins: Etoile substitute Obiakor gets a yellow card
for a cynical tackle of Musa Aliyu, raising the ire of the crowd.
90 mins: Five minutes of stoppage time are to be
played. If there are no more goals, the result will be decided on penalties.
90 mins +4: Enyimba bring on substitute goalkeeper
Dele Aiyenugba for the penalty shootout, in a repeat of the change that
helped them beat another Tunisian side, Esperance, on penalties in the
semi-final in November,.
90 mins +6: FULL TIME Enyimba 2-1 Etoile.
