CAFCC: Stanley Eguma upbeat about chances against strong Diables Noirs

By Saheed Afolabi

Rivers United coach, Stanley Eguma admits wary ahead of Sunday’s CAF Confederation Cup opener against Congolese side Diables Noirs in Brazzaville.

The Pride of Rivers were pitted against Diables Noirs, Motema Pembe and ASEC Mimosa in the group stages of the competition and will slug it out with the Congolese giants at Stade Alphonse Massamba-Débat.

And the reigning Nigerian league winning manager is confident they can earn a positive result on the Congolese soil.

“For this competition, I’m aware it’s a CAF Confederation Cup match and the fixtures have been made, we are playing away from home first, it’s not our making and that’s okay,” Eguma said.

“Everyone has equal games to play both home and away, so we starting away is good for us, it doesn’t matter. We know our opponent by their names and we follow them as they are past perennial participants of this competition. They’ve been coming out most recent times and we don’t know much about them presently.

“I do know that the fact that they have been in the competition in the past all the time makes us see them as a very strong side and one of the contenders in the group. A lot of people think that the group is an easy one but with the likes of Diables Noirs of Congo, ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire alongside DC Motema Pembe and Rivers United, you will know that it’s a strong group.

“They are strong teams in thier various countries because Diables Noirs have always been in the competition likewise Motema Pembe and ASEC Mimosas are former champions, so they are very strong.”

Rivers Angels are hopeful of having a great outing in the CAFCC this season. They have started their NPFL title defense on a good note with 13 points from six matches and are second in group B of the NPFL abridged league.