Enyimba manager Fatai Osho has embraced the “tremendous pressure” his side face in trying to win through to the quarterfinals of the CAF Confederation Cup in their match against Orlando Pirates tonight.
The Nigerian giants will host their South African counterparts in their final Group A clash, set for the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba, at the same time that Algeria’s ES Setif welcome Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi to the Stade 8 Mei 1945.
All four teams still have a mathematical chance of qualification, though Pirates know that they need only draw in Nigeria to secure top spot in the group.
Enyimba, meanwhile, must win to move into the final eight alongside the six other teams which have already qualified (JS Kabylie, Cotonsport, ASC Jaraaf, CS Sfaxien, Raja Casablanca and Pyramids FC) and Osho is urging his team to go for the jugular.
“Every team in the group should be under pressure because every other team in the group still has a healthy chance of qualification, so you don’t go to sleep at all because you know you have to work hard on the last day to earn your qualification,” Osho is quoted by Brila.
“So that shows every team will be up and doing, and that’s a tremendous pressure when you are four and two have to go.”
The People’s Elephant manager added that the late kick-off (23:00 CAT, 22:00 local time) will not be an issue: “It’s a good one for both teams because the weather will be fine at that time; it will be good for both Enyimba and Pirates, we won’t stress ourselves.
“Both teams will not play under heat; typically we know we play by 4 pm in Nigeria but playing by 10 pm is not a disadvantage because the weather will even be better for a football game.”