Soccer News of Thursday, 8 April 2004

Source: OHIOLE AIKHOJE

Enyimba will fly over Diaraf ? Frimpong

Ghanaian U-23 international, Joetex Frimpong has assured soccer loving Nigerians that his Nigerian club, Enyimba Football Club of Aba would fly over their Senegalese opponents, Diaraf, when they begin the defense of the African Champions League, on Sunday.

Speaking with Ghana Home Page, on Thursday, Frimpong said: ?We are confident of winning the match. The spirit is high in camp, and the entire squad is looking forward to the game. We will justify our rating as African double champions.?

The Ghanaian, who scored six goals in the Champions League, last season, is one of the key foreigners in the Nigerian side.

Frimpong added that he hopes to use the Champions League to return to the Black Meteors and Black Stars, repectively.

"I have been out of both teams for some time, but I intend to make a return. As such, I have to play well to impress the new manager," he said.

Aside from Frimpong, Enyimba would be banking on the strength of their Nigerian-born Beninoise imports, Muri Ogunbiyi and Jonas Oketola, who were at the last Nokia African Cup of Nations with the Republic of Benin.

Oketola has since settled down since joining Enyimba after the Nations Cup.

The Nigeria Football Association has already postponed two matches involving Frimpong?s team to enable the squad face the task at hand.

Enyimba were to play their Eastern neighbours Iwuanyanwu Nationale, on Sunday, and then travel to the Northern city of Minna for a mid-week game against Niger Tornadoes.

Ghana Home Page gathered that the Senegalese arrived Aba on Wednesday. Last year, Enyimba stopped another Senegalese side, Jean d?Arc in round two.

The African champions are placed 8th on the 18-team league table with 14 points from 10 matches.