نقلا عن صحيفة (Kick Off Nigeria) الرياضية المتخصصة في الرياضة النيجيرية

نقلا عن صحيفة (Kick Off Nigeria) الرياضية المتخصصة في الرياضة النيجيرية



Dolphins decimated in Omdurman

Two former players of Dolphins FC on Saturday at the El-Merriekh Stadium in Omdurman perfected the destruction of their former club as Dolphins fell 6-1 to Merriekh in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Efosa Eguakun and Endurance Idahor who both played for Dolphins in the 2005 Confederation Cup were the inspiration behind Merriekh's biggest win so far in their CAF Confederation Cup history.

From the start of the game, Efosa who used to play as a right winger at Dolphins operated freely from the center of midfield dictating the pace of the game and combining well with Brazilian midfielder, Paulo Roberto.

But it was Dolphins who could have drawn first blood in the 12th minute when Victor Ezeji freed Gbenga Ajala who was through on goal and should have scored but he passed to on rushing Idowu Olaiya who dallied on the ball and then shot at Baha Eldine in goal for Merriekh.

Dolphins had a chance a minute later when the Sudanese seemed in disarray but failed to score with the ball being kicked about in Merriekh's penalty area.

With that scare behind them, the Sudanese took the game back to Dolphins again and won a corner in the 22nd minute.

The corner kick was headed home by captain Fasial Agab Seydo for the well deserved opener for Merriekh.

Four minutes later the Sudanese broke off a counter but Paulo Roberto failed to get his low cross into the area.

Merriekh again took the game to Dolphins and Agab should have scored when he shook off his marker in the six yard box but shot at Chijioke Ejiogu.

At this point it seemed clear that Dolphins were totally clueless as Efosa Eguakun, Agab and Paulo Roberto taught them lessons in ball possession and accurate passing.

With just seven minutes left to the break Paulo Roberto's free kick landed in the box and with two dolphins' defenders ball watching Endurance Idahor snuck in to head home the second goal of the night.

Two minutes later, it was Efosa again and Paulo Roberto who's combination split open the Dolphins' defence but Emma Godwin was on hand to clear the ball before it caused any trouble.

At the restart, Thankgod Amaefule came on for injured Idowu Olaiya and he introduced himself immediately with a precise cross that found the head of Victor Ezeji in the box. Ezeji nodded with power behind the keeper to put Dolphins temporarily back in the game but Bola Bello stupidly got a red card for an elbow offence that led to the total annihilation of the 2005 finalists.

Bello's red card came in the 53rd minute for elbowing and El-Merriekh defender in the full glare of the referee.

In the 65th minute, Musa Tayeb scored out of nothing to return the Sudanese to their two goal cushion and thirteen minutes later Idahor got his brace, latching onto a pull out to head behind Ejiogu.

Ayob got his own brace but it was Idahor who waltzed in from outside the box blasting the ball on the cross bar; Agab knocked in the rebound but Ejiogu punched out back to his feet and he made no mistake for his second of the day and fifth for Merriekh.

With just eight minutes left in the clock, Mohammed Ali scored a total fluke when he saw Ejiogu off his line and tried his luck from about thirty five yards and the ball surprisingly went past the keeper and into the post for goal number six for the rampaging Sudanese.

At this point the Sudanese were very capable of going for more but the trio of Efosa Eguakun, Paulo Roberto and Agab spent the next few minutes showboating while the Dolphins players just chased shadows until the Libyan referee ended the torture begin meted out to them.

"We were very unlucky today and that is football for you. That red card given to Bola was the turning point. I think it ruined us. We almost had the game under control especially after I scored to bring scores to 2-1 but that is life," Victor Ezeji told KICK OFF after the match.

Endurance Idahor said he had not regrets scoring twice against his former club.

"It is football and I am paid to score. I did not score twice because it was Dolphins; I scored twice because I want to score in every match I play for my club. This result simply shows Dolphins did not prepare and when you do not prepare like this you get punished," Idahor told KICK OFF.

El- Merriekh
Bah El dine, Jean Paul Abalo, Ameer Damir Koko, Musa El Tayeb, Mohammed Alli El Kader, Mogajid, Ahmed, Badr Eldin Abdellah, Efosa Eguakun/ Khamees Martin 85th, Faisal Agab Seydo/ Babka Abdellah 86th, Paulo Roberto, Endurance Idahor

Dolphins
Chijioke Ejiogu, Victor Babayaro, Joe Eyimofe, Mike Simon, Samaila Suleiman, Emma Godwin, Idowu Olaiya/ Thankgod Amaefule 46th, Gbenga Ajala/Oluwole Johnson 60th,

Victor Ezeji, Dosso Alhassane, Bola Bello.
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بالجد؟....بالجد كدة فرحانين؟

Efosa Eguakun, Agab and Paulo Roberto taught them lessons in ball possession and accurate passing.