October 1, 2011 (Super Sport)
October 1, 2011 (Super Sport)
The records of Enyimba from Nigeria and Esperance from Tunisia in the African Champions League this season leave little doubt as to why they are favoured to reach the final.
Enyimba are away to Wydad Casablanca from Morocco on Saturday and Esperance play at Al-Hilal from Sudan a day later in semifinals, first leg games with the return matches scheduled for mid-October.
The Nigerians are unbeaten in 11 matches this year while the Tunisians have suffered just one loss in 10 games – away to ASPAC of Benin last April in a largely meaningless clash as they had built a five-goal home advantage.
All the survivors bar Hilal have won the premier Pan-African club competition while the Sudanese have come close, finishing runners-up twice before 1997 format changes saw prize money and groups introduced and quarterfinals ditched.
Wydad have good reason to respect 2003 and 2004 champions Enyimba, the only Nigerian holders of the trophy, even if the first encounter is at the 80 000-capacity Mohammed V Stadium in the Moroccan commercial capital.
Enyimba have already played at the biggest stadium in Morocco this year, holding Raja Casablanca 0-0 last month, and won other away group games against Cotonsport Garoua from Cameroon and Hilal.
The club from south-eastern city Aba are alone among the semifinalists in relying exclusively on home-based players and centre-back Markson Ojobo is available again after serving a suspension.
Goalkeeper Paul Godwin has excelled in Africa during the absence of injured Chijoke Ejiogu before a blunder handed Heartland the Nigerian FA Cup in Lagos last weekend.
Half the 20 goals scored by Wydad in 13 Champions League matches have been shared by Mouhssine Iajour and Congo Brazzaville-born Fabrice Ondama although the former has gone five games without netting.
Wydad will draw comfort from already eliminating a Nigerian team this year as they defeated Kano Pillars 2-0 at home and drew 0-0 away in the second qualifying round.
Esperance, runners-up to TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo last year, proved highly combative on the road during the mini-league phase by holding Mouloudia in Algiers, Wydad in Casablanca and Al-Ahly in Cairo.
They will lack suspended Malian defender Idrissa Coulibaly and midfielder Mejdi Traoui is an injury doubt for the Tunisian Blood and Gold, who lifted the trophy in 1994 and have been runners-up three times since.
Hilal were unconvincing at the sauna-like Omdurman fortress in group matches, scraping wins over Raja and Cotonsport before losing to Enyimba despite taking a fourth-minute lead.
However, the Sudanese club do boast the leading scorer in the competition this season with Zimbabwean Edward Sadoma striking seven goals, but banned Amir Rabei is sidelined and Cameroonian Ene-Edet Otobong doubtful.
