Former Super Eagles Captain, Uche Okechukwu, has urged Enyimba International players to approach their home match against Wydad Casablanca in the African Football League Quarter-final first leg today, Sunday, October 22 at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Uyo, with a greater hunger and drive for victory, Completesports.com reports.
Today’s first leg will kick off at 7pm (Nigerian time/WAT). Wydad will host Enyimba in the second leg on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.
Okechukwu, a 1988 and 1999 Nigeria Premier League winner with Iwuanyanwu National [now Heartland], while speaking to Completesports.com
in Uyo, charged the People’s Elephant to use all they have in their arsenal to win the match and make Nigerians proud.
Also Read – AFL: Enyimba Not Under Pressure To Overcome Wydad –Finidi
Okechukwu who is a member of the current Enyimba International management board headed by Nwankwo Kanu as Chairman said that Enyimb’s African Football League (AFL) Quarterfinal first-leg encounter against is an encounter the team must fight and make memorable for Nigerians.
“I will advise the players [Enyimba] to be mentally, and physically ready ahead of their opponents. The date of this match has been there and you must keep thinking about the strategy set by the coach. You have to want it more and do more than your opponent because the team that wants it most will always come out on top with dedication and hard work,” Okechukwu advised
“The AFL encounter will be a tough one judging by the pedigree of the teams involved. Wydad AC are CAF Champions League champions and Enyimba are former Champions.
“Ordinarily, I would have loved Enyimba to go into the match after five or six games in the NPFL, but I think that with the level of preparations I have seen the team undergo, we have a good team to march on. With the support we hope to get from the fans, the management and the Governor, the boys can deliver,” Okechukwu fondly hailed ‘Gentle Giant’ concluded.
Also Read – AFL: Peseiro Backs Enyimba To Beat Wydad Casablanca
Okechukwu, a 1994 AFCON and Atlanta ’96 Olympics football gold winner, played for Flash Flamingoes before Iwuanyanwu Nationale in the late 80s before sojourning to play for Brondby of Denmark and later Fenerbahce of Turkey.
The inaugural African Football League (AFL), comprising only eight clubs chosen by CAF, serves as a forerunner to the forthcoming 24-team league format set to be implemented in the 2024/2025 season. As a result, all eight clubs participating in the 2023 edition were scheduled to begin their campaign in the Quarterfinals.
By Chigozie Chukwuleta, in Uyo
2 Comments
Mr. Okechukwu Uche, the affable gentle giant.
Mr. Handsome. Odogwu.
Go get ’em, Enyimba!
He was an astute defender. One of the best the Eagles had ever produced.
Great player.