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Enyimba FC will try
to re-enact another ‘Miracle of Damman’ today in Aba as they face the
daunting task of reversing a 4-0 loss to Zanaco suffered two weeks ago
in Zambia. In 1989, the Flying Eagles overturned a 4-0 deficit to the
former USSR, drew the match to 4-4 and then won on penalties. A
comeback of that proportion is what the Aba Millionaires will be hoping
to enact today at their fortress, the Enyimba International Stadium.
The match is the Second leg 1/8th round match of the Orange CAF
Confederation Cup before the lucrative mini-group stage.

Two-time African
champions; Enyimba will need at least a five goal margin for an
outright win or four goals to even the score line, and for the team’s
captain, Okey Odita both options are possible.

“Nothing is
impossible in football. It’s a herculean task but also achievable. We
are definitely going to make Nigeria proud by qualifying to the
mini-league stage,” assured the defender.

Taking by surprise

Odita, who was used
as a substitute during Enyimba’s loss to the Zambian side, said in an
interview on the club’s website that the team was caught unawares in
Lusaka.

“Zanaco have had
their day. In fact, they caught us napping when we were not ourselves
but I’m very confident that if they can score four goals in the first
half, then nothing says they cannot concede five goals within the same
first half.” The central defender further reminded the Zambians and
everyone that may have written Enyimba off to note that history favours
his side to stage a comeback, having done that twice so far in the
Confederation Cup.

“With all due
respect to Zanaco, I and my colleagues are united in saying that they
will fall here in Aba. We cannot come this far only for Zanaco to shut
us out,” Odita said.

“We have our pride
and pedigree to stage a big comeback and nothing can be better than
now. Enyimba have been champions before and have the zeal. With God on
our side, we will prevail,” he concluded.

The “People’s
Elephant” as the club nicknamed have been invincible at their Aba
fortress, and Odita predicts another surprise is in the offing.

A similar situation

The recently
crowned Nigerian champions have found themselves in similarly tight
situations as these and they had to overturn a 0-3 loss to AS Vita Club
of DR Congo in the first leg of the previous phase of the competition
to march on 6-5 after penalties, this kind of feat Odita maintains is
replicable.

“Most people ruled
us out after that loss in Congo but we came back to show the stuff we
are made of. Though I am not too happy that we are back in similar
situation almost immediately, we know what is at stake and we are ready
to give our best to move on again,” he said.

Enyimba on course

On his own
admission Chairman of the club, Felix Anyansi feels his team is not new
to this type of situation and cited the 6-1 loss they suffered against
Ismaily in Egypt some years back but then went ahead to win the CAF
Champions League trophy.

He said the players were now more committed to the team than they were two weeks ago when they travelled to Zambia.

“We in Enyimba
have erased the word impossibility from our dictionary long time ago
and this philosophy has seen us through and this match against Zanaco
cannot be an exception. ‘We are the architects of this situation we
find ourselves, but I am happy that the boys have woken up from their
slumber.

“I have always
believed that we have the best legs in the continent of Africa, which
saw us win the Premier League recently and qualify for the final of
Federation Cup. “What we need is discipline and commitment from the
players.

“I want to ask our supporters to come out en-masse to support us on Sunday” he said.

The coach of the team Okey Emordi told supporters to expect a better performance from his players.

Emordi, who decided
to wield the big stick by turning back players that decided to stroll
into camp days after opening of the exercise prior to their first leg
tie says the players have turned a new leaf.

“We have no problem
in the camp now; all the players are in high spirit as they have all
resolved to make the fans happy and make it to the next stage. We want
Nigerians to pray for the team to succeed,” he said.

Enyimba have their eyes on treble, they have been crowned champions
in the NPL and have also qualified for the finals of the Federation Cup
while also hoping to add the Confederations Cup title to the trophy
cabinet.