Enyimba FC coach Fatai Osho has stated Orlando Pirates are more dangerous playing as a unit than individual brilliance, as the Nigerian side prepares to face the Buccaneers in Wednesday’s Caf Confederation Cup Group A match at Orlando Stadium.
Pirates welcome their West African opponents who top the group after beating Al Ahli Benghazi in their last match, while the South Africans held ES Setif 0-0 in neutral Accra.
With the Premier Soccer League widely followed especially in English-speaking and some Lusophone African countries, Osho says that has fed them with information on Pirates, making them well aware of what they are coming up against.
“We are happy with the result we got in the last game against a very good team [Al-Ahli Benghazi]. We’re expecting the same from Orlando Pirates and we know them very well, as we do watch the South African league‚” said Osho as per Times Live.
“Pirates have a lot of brilliant players‚ but I won’t be mentioning any names. As a team, they’re more of a threat than individual players. They’re very good in the movements off the ball and their transition is superb.
“We’re quite aware of that and we know what we’re coming up against. But we’ve prepared ourselves very well.”
Making Enyimba a big threat to Pirates is their intention in this competition as Osho says they are gunning to be crowned Confederation Cup champions.
After successful years of winning the 2003 and 2004 Caf Champions League, the Nigerians have since struggled to reassert their dominance on the African continent.
“We believe strongly that we have the team that can compete in the continent,” Osho said.
“We don’t want to make up the numbers and, as we speak, we’re one of the 16 teams competing for this trophy. We want the trophy and we strongly believe we’re a contender.”
Pirates and Enyimba last met in a Caf Champions League group match in September 2006 when the Buccaneers won 1-0 with ex-Nigeria international Onyekachi Okonkwo punishing his former team with the deciding goal in Johannesburg.
Two months earlier, the two teams had shared the spoils 1-1 in Aba when Lucky Lekgwathi struck to earn Pirates an away point.
