Enyimba’s chances of advancing to the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup suffered a major setback on Sunday following a 1-1 draw against Egyptian side Al Masry in Aba.
The People’s Elephants needed a win to boost their qualification hopes but fell behind early. Mohamed Hashem opened the scoring for Al Masry in the 8th minute, capitalizing on a well-executed corner routine that left him unmarked to slot the ball home.
Despite relentless pressure from Enyimba, the equalizer eluded them in the first half. However, just two minutes into the second half, Ifeanyi Ihemekwele leveled the score with his second consecutive goal in the competition, reigniting the home crowd’s hopes.
Coach Stanley Eguma introduced veteran forward Brown Ideye in the 58th minute, hoping his experience would tilt the game in Enyimba’s favor. Ideye, who had scored in their previous victory against Black Bulls, was unable to find the winning goal.
Al Masry had a golden opportunity to retake the lead in the 68th minute, but Super Eagles B goalkeeper Ani Ozoemena came to Enyimba’s rescue, saving a penalty to keep the scores level.
The draw leaves Enyimba third in Group D with five points, needing a win against already-qualified leaders Zamalek in Egypt next Sunday to have any chance of progressing. Complicating matters further, Black Bulls must defeat Al Masry in Egypt for Enyimba’s hopes to stay alive.
With one game left, the two-time CAF Champions League winners face a daunting task to avoid an early exit from the competition.
