Finidi optimistic as CAF shifts Enyimba, Wydad clash

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In preparation for the second leg of their quarter-final encounter in the African Football League, both Enyimba head coach Finidi George and Wydad Athletic Club manager Adil Ramzi have expressed determination as they seek to secure a place in the semi-finals, as reported by The PUNCH.

The two-time African champions, Enyimba, and their Moroccan counterparts, Wydad, are set to face off in the return fixture on Thursday at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca, after the Confederation of African Football rescheduled the match from the initially planned date of Wednesday.

Enyimba suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sunday and are aware that they must secure a victory in Morocco to have a chance of advancing to the semi-finals.

Finidi, who also serves as the assistant coach of the Super Eagles, attributed his team’s loss to their inability to convert scoring opportunities in the match against Wydad.

The only goal of the game was scored from a first-half penalty, with Yahya Jabrane successfully converting from the spot, beating Enyimba’s captain and goalkeeper, Ojo Olorunleke, in the 39th minute.

Despite having several chances to equalize and potentially win the game, the two-time African champions squandered their opportunities.

In anticipation of the upcoming match, Finidi expressed his regret over the missed chances but remained hopeful.

“Football is all about goal scoring; if we had scored, the overall result would have been different,” Finidi commented during an interview on Brila FM.

“In a few days, we will have the return leg. I’m pleased that, as much as we wanted to win the game, we only lost 1-0, which gives us another chance to go there and see if we can perform better.

“If we get the same opportunities that we had here, and we can capitalize on one or two, it will change the dynamics.”

“I am quite optimistic about the second leg, but it’s disappointing that we lost the first leg.”

On the other hand, Wydad’s head coach, Ramzi, has cautioned his team against becoming complacent.

“It’s a two-part match,” Ramzi stated, as reported by Le Martin.

“I’m satisfied with today’s result, especially since we scored and did not concede.

“Enyimba is a strong team, and we need to maintain our focus during the return match in Casablanca. Matches are only decided when the referee blows the final whistle.”

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