Enyimba International FC will today battle fellow Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, Rivers United in the first leg of the second Preliminary Round of the CAF Confederation Cup in Aba.
Both sides are very familiar with one another having battled each other for the past two decades during which they consistently played in Nigeria’s top flight league.
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Both Enyimba and Rivers United are in their best of form going into the Sunday encounter having defeated their opponents Plateau United and Nasarawa United respectively in their last NPFL outing as the People’s Elephants are leaders of the NPFL table followed strongly by the Pride of Rivers in second spot.
Speaking ahead of the clash Enyimba head coach Fatai Osho said Sunday’s game is a celebration of Nigeria’s top flight.
“The players will see it a bit different because the setting is actually different. What is at stake is actually different from what is obtainable at the level of the NPFL and we are going to see a situation whereby both sides will come out because they know what it means to play at the group stage of the competition.
“It is a platform that they can use to express themselves and let people know what they can do. Nobody wants to lose that kind of opportunity and I foresee a situation where both sides will want to come out for each other but I see it as more of a celebration of the NPFL on Sunday.
The winners of the play-off round will advance to the group stage to join RS Berkane, who advanced directly to the group stage following the withdrawal of FC Gazelle of Chad from the competition.
