Continental Action Returns To PH …As Dolphins Host Sony Ela Nguema, Sunday

Football fans in Port Harcourt and its environs will on Sunday at the Liberation Stadium be treated to international club football for the first time in over Six years as Nigeria champions, Dolphins FC hosts Sony Ela Nguema of Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

It is the second leg, first round match of the 2012 CAF Champions league in which Dolphins will be seeking to confirm their progress to the next round by building on their 3 – 0 first leg away victory.

Already, excitement is in the air among Dolphins fans as they expect another comprehensive victory that will put them in good stead for the next round.

Interestingly, Dolphins coach, standing Eguma had earlier said that his priority this season would be to successfully defend the domestic title and go all the way in the champions league. This tie is another opportunity to set the stage for ultimate success.

The club warmed up for the Sunday match with a 2 – 1 victory over Jigawa Stars Midweek in one of their rescheduled domestic matches, and would want to do better by keeping a clean sheet against the Equi Guineans.

However, Dolphins, who managed to keep a clean sheet in Malabo despite looking vulnerable in the midfield must no write off the visistors.

That the visitors arrived for the match yesterday, four days to the match shows that they have not written off their chances. They must be hoping to catch their hosts off guard and try to do some damage.

Therefore, coach Eguma and his wards must know that in football, it is not over until it is over.

But Dolphins are favourites to win and progress to the next round of the competition, come Sunday.

Sony Ela Nguema has qualified for the CAF Champions league eight times even though they have not gone beyond the first round.

Tonye Orabere