El-Merreikh stoke flames ahead of FC Platinum tie

By Eddie Chikamhi

SUNDANESE giants El-Merreikh have stoked the flames ahead of the Champions League first round, first leg match against FC Platinum by declaring that they are here for an outright victory. The two sides clash at Rufaro on Saturday.

El-Merreikh, a star-studded side, who are making their 19th appearance in the elite continental football competition, arrived yesterday with a travelling party of 32 members. The delegation included 20 players and eight members of the technical staff led by Brazilian coach Heron Ricardo Ferreira.

The El-Merreikh squad has five foreign players who consist of Nigerian forward Kilechi Osunwa, Jonas Sakuwaha (Zambia), Mike Matyoba (Uganda), Ivorians Serge Wawa and Remi Adiko.

The reigning Sudanese champions had a bye in the preliminary round and team manager Siddig Ali said they have gathered enough information about FC Platinum and are not worried by the prospect of playing several thousand miles away from home.

Ali reckons that El-Merreikh have made thorough preparations for this year’s competition and are seeking a positive start against their Zimbabwean hosts.

“There is no secret in football. We know for a fact that a team that plays another side in this competition and wins twice by scoring four goals in each game is a good team.

“We are ready for them (FC Platinum). We came here to get a result. There is always an advantage to play the first game away. We want to beat Platinum 2-0 here and then finish them off at home,” said Ali.

The visitors — who are perennial campaigners in Africa — are aiming for improved performances from last year when they were knocked out in the first round by Angolan side Inter Luanda.

El-Merreikh have played in the last four editions of Champions League competition from 2009 when they reached the group stage.

Despite their woes in Africa, El-Merreikh remain one of the top two teams in Sudan where they are engaged in a fierce rivalry with Edward Sadomba’s Al Hilal. The side narrowly pipped Hilal to win their 18th Sudanese league title last year and another berth in the Champions League.

Ali said they are hoping for better fortunes this year. Their league has just started and they have played four games to date and trail Hilal by a point.

“There is always great competition in the Champions League. Teams are well prepared and ready.

“We have played some games to prepare ourselves before coming here. Our league started a while ago. We also played a team from outside the country and had a camp in Kenya. We left five players behind and we will use them in the return leg. We are a big team and we do not worry about injuries to individual players,” said Ali.

Meanwhile, the El-Merreikh advance party has revealed that they were charmed by the hospitality they got from FC Platinum. El-Merreikh executive director Abdelbagi Sheikh Idris, who came on Monday, said FC Platinum have shown qualities that are rare in Africa.

“We want to thank FC for the hospitality,” he said. “We have travelled in Africa on many occasions and faced problems, some of them natural and some man-made but FC Platinum have treated us very well here.

“I know this club is still new in African football but their conduct is that of an established institution. I want to promise them that when they come to Khartoum we will treat them twice better than this. FC Platinum are a very professional side and I tell you they will be a very big club in Africa.”

Meanwhile, FC Platinum’s spirited hopes to stage this Champions League tie at Mandava flopped after Caf insisted that the match had to be played elsewhere. FC Platinum hosted Swaziland’s Green Mamba at Mandava in the second leg of their preliminary round match early this month.

The visitors were accommodated in Masvingo since Zvishavane does not have hotels that meet Caf standards.

While Green Mamba had no problems about the arrangement, Caf, acting on the match officials’ report, have insisted that the distance from Masvingo, which is 95km, makes it difficult for the opponents to do their warm-up at the venue and to travel for the match.

Zifa and FC Platinum had tried to have that overturned with a host of overtures, including assurances to charter a flight for the visiting Sudanese giants for the practice session and for the match on Saturday. But, as The Herald correctly reported yesterday, it had all turned into a losing battle.

Yesterday, Zifa confirmed that their spirited efforts had not reaped any benefits.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association hereby confirms that the match between FC Platinum of Zimbabwe and El-Merreikh FC of Sudan will now take place at Rufaro Stadium in Harare despite our spirited efforts to have the match in question played in Zvishavane at Mandava Stadium,” said a statement from           Zifa.

“The Association appealed to Caf last night (Monday) for them to consider FC Platinum’s position and up to now we are yet to receive a response from Caf.”

FC Platinum secretary Phillimon Muvengwa said coach Rahman Gumbo and his men are expected in Harare today to continue their preparations for the game in the conditions.

“It’s always best to play at the usual home environment but under the circumstances we will have to do with what is there. Our focus is on winning the game and we are calling on football-loving Zimbabweans to come in large numbers and support the team,” said Muvengwa.

El-Merreikh team manager Saddig Ali said as the away team they had no problems playing at Mandava but they had to observe the Caf regulations.

“We have been here before when we played Highlanders. Zimbabwe is a big country in African football.

“They have got many professional players outside the country and in Sudan we have one (Edward Sadomba). We respect Zimbabwean football.

“But we were not worried of playing at Mandava. We are ready to play anywhere. We are really sorry for the FC Platinum supporters because they wanted this game in Zvishavane. We are just following the Caf regulations,” said Ali.

FC Platinum national supporters’ chairman Tendai Makoni urged Zimbabweans to rally behind Kugona Kunenge Kudada in their quest for glory in the maiden Champions League campaign.

“This is no longer an FC Platinum thing. We urge all Zimbabweans, irrespective of which club you support locally, to come and root for the team. Let’s all come and cheer the boys because they are representing Zimbabwe,” said Makoni.