Saturday, October 15, 2011

Sunshine battle Club Africain in Confed semis

Sunshine Stars will seek to continue their superb run in the Caf Confederation Cup when they play host to Tunisia’s Club Africain in the first leg semifinal at the Dipo Dina Stadium on Saturday.

Gbenga Ogunbote’s men have played 11 games in Africa’s second tier club competition and have won seven games and lost twice – only to USFA of Burkina Faso and Maghreb de Fes of Morocco.

In their run-up to the semis, Sunshine Stars saw off the challenge of Tiko United of Cameroon, USFA, Al Ittihad of Libya in the playoff rounds.

The Akure Gunners, however, qualified from Group B in second place with 11 points behind Maghreb de Fes edging out DC Motema Pembe of DR Congo and JS Kabylie of Algeria.

Ogunbote told SuperSport.com that his men are not under any pressure going into Saturday’s clash with Club Africain.

“We are in no way under pressure for this game. This is our first time on the continent and we know we have done well and we want to take another step in making sure that we realise that dream of reaching the final.

“Club Africain are a big club with lots of experience on the continent. So the pressure will be more on them and not us,” Ogunbote said.

Club Africain were knocked out of the Caf Champions League this year and were made to face Sofapaka of Kenya in a two-leg playoff, which they won on a 4 – 3 aggregate to progress into the group stage of the Caf Confederation Cup.

It will not be the first trip of the Tunisians to Nigeria in the competition, as they had been responsible for Kaduna United’s ouster when they won by a solitary goal at the Kaduna Township Stadium last month.

And Ogunbote acknowledged that Sunshine Stars must thread softly against Club Africain.

“We are aware of the fact they have played in Nigeria before and against Kaduna United. At least we have an idea of them and that gives us an opportunity, and will not allow them be responsible for eliminating Nigerian clubs from the competition,” he said.

The match between Sunshine Stars and Club Africain will be live on SuperSport Select from 3.45pm CAT

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